Out of Time, Out of Place
by A Hack
Summary: Something strange has happened to Bruce Wayne. A new world is before him, complete with unexpected dangers. Can he survive? Only one way to find out...
1. Chapter 1

Out of Time, Out of Place

Chapter One

He did not know where he was. This was incredibly troubling to him for a number of reasons, first among them was the fact that he knew where he was _not_, specifically Wayne Manor. While he had seen and been part of a number of strange occurrences and experiences during his life, suddenly finding oneself to be in one place when you should be in another was always disconcerting and irritating to him. Similar situations had arisen in the past and none of them ever resulted in anything resembling a pleasant experience by the time everything was said and done. It was this sudden dislocation, added to the strange disorientation that he felt, that immediately put him on his guard, ready for an attack from any quarter. The extremely poor lighting only increased the feeling of unease. Almost everything around him was complete darkness, so thick he could only perceive the faintest outline of his had as he held it out before him. He opened and closed each of his hands, exercising each of his arms and legs. They were still functioning properly – better than they had for some time. Immediately his mind logged this as unusual, since body parts did not simply 'get better' overnight, especially for someone like him. He knelt down to touch the ground beneath him. It was composed of damp soil, mixed in with some small rocks. He stood back up. Something had happened to him, and it was likely that someone was toying with him. He decided it would be best to find a place the enemy would not know him to be and Bruce started walking in the direction of the one light source. Probably a trap, but better to confront it in a place where he could see what was around him.

Each step was taken very carefully in order to limit the possibility that he might step on something he would regret. Numerous mental notes were made concerning the feel of the ground beneath him. The coolness of it was not an unpleasant experience in and of itself, but it made him wish for a sturdy pair of boots. Whoever had dumped him here made sure to leave him as vulnerable as possible, with only the clothes on his back. The echo caused by his footsteps suggested that he was in a large expanse, likely the kind of place you could lose yourself in for days without a map or guide of some kind. Had he some of his equipment, he would have been tempted to remain there, find some obscure nook, and then wait for his opponent to come after him. However, he did not have any of his equipment – he did not even have shoes – so a change in scenery was necessary.

A gentle breeze whisked across his face the closer he got to the source of the light. The air was filled with the cool, dank smell of the cave, telling him little about what might be waiting for him on the other side. He resolved to come back here as soon as possible and perform an exhaustive sweep of the area. There were questions he wanted answers to, and this place was his starting point. But that was for later. His first task was to procure clothing and information about the immediate vicinity. Foot by foot, step by step, he came closer to the source of the light, gradually brightening the world around him. He fought the urge to increase his pace, since barging out into the middle of an unknown area could be a fatal mistake. Stealth was something he knew the value of and the only way to keep it was by remaining calm and steady in his movements.

It was when he began closing in on the opening that he heard the footsteps. Heavy, but not trying to be. Coming from behind him, as well. Turning around to look would be useless and it would alert his pursuers to his awareness of them. Surprise was the only thing in his favor at the moment, so he kept walking and gave no hint of the plans forming in his head. Suddenly, he stopped when he was only an arms length from the exit, with nothing blocking his path.

One of the men following saw this as an opportunity and sprinted towards his target, ready to tackle Bruce to the ground. Seconds before his hands would have made contact; Bruce sidestepped the lunge and swept his left leg towards his opponent's feet, causing the man to fall face first into the ground. He tried to get himself up and wipe the dirt from his helmet, but Bruce needed only seconds to grab the man's arm, twist it, and deliver a swift kick to the man's head. His partner, having decided that getting into a fight might not be the best idea, loaded, cocked and aimed a small gun at Bruce. These actions did not go unheard and by the time the man's finger was on the trigger, Bruce had lifted the other one up and used him as a shield, letting the body armor absorb the stun rounds.

After an audible 'click', Bruce dropped his shield and charged the shooter before he could reload. A swift roundhouse kick knocked the weapon into the darkness, followed by a punch that connected with the armored figure square in the face. Momentarily stunned, the attacker staggered back a few steps as he tried to stop the ringing in his head. He might have done so if Bruce had not chosen to press his attack as brutally as possible, delivering a number of kicks and punches to every sensitive point on the body. Still standing, the attacker managed to throw a single punch, which was easily avoided and allowed Bruce the chance to grab the man's arm and hit it with enough force to break it, despite the body armor. Surprisingly, there was no shout of pain accompanying the action, though the man gave clear indication that he felt it by dropping to his knees and nursing the injury. Bruce grabbed hold of his chest and started asking questions.

"Who are you? Why were you following me?" He barked in one of his more threatening growls. The other man did not respond, so Bruce began to squeeze the broken arm.

"This can be easy or painful, it's your choice." Still nothing.

As Bruce went to work on his captive, the other one got up and carefully, quietly, crept over to the other two. He took out a baton, raised it up…

…and immediately dropped it after Bruce grabbed hold of him, spun him around, and exposed his helmeted face to the bright light streaming in. For lenses meant to function in extreme darkness, the effect was blinding and the man fell to his knees and tore his helmet off.

"I'm getting impatient. Tell me what you know. _Now_." Bruce growled. As his vision cleared, the man looked up, but found that Bruce's face was obscured by shadows as a result of keeping his back to the incoming light. He was unable to tell that Bruce had kept his eyes shut during the entire fight.

"Who. Are. You?" Bruce demanded, grabbing the man.

His opponent's face was akin to a bare skull with pale skin, a lack of a nose, sunken cheeks and bloodshot eyes. Covering his mouth was a breather unit that emitted a strange gas. Bruce dropped the man instantly. After a few seconds he rolled him over to discover that the man's face was now completely blank, his eyes glazed over. A quick check revealed that he still had a pulse, but his mind was gone. Bruce dragged the other man into the light and took off the helmet to find a similar case. Whoever sent them did not want to take the chance that they might give up any information. Now, Bruce had to decide what to do with them. Leaving them where they were seemed the most prudent option, but before he could start looking for something to bind them, a sickly green glow surrounded the two. Barely a second later both of the assailants had vanished.

Bruce cursed his sloppiness. The first thing he should have done was check them for some kind of identification. Now, his only leads had just disappeared and left him back at square one. Whoever his opponent was, he or she knew the value of preparation. They were technologically adept as well, since transporters were not easy access technology, despite frequent Justice League usage. It was possible he was being observed at that moment. None of this shortened the list of suspects. If anything, it forced him to include the names of a few people who are presumed deceased. Deciding that he was wasting time by standing there, Bruce walked over to the cave's opening and got his first good look at the world outside.

It did not look like the most sanitary place. Garbage and rubble were strewn everywhere, so much that every street in eyesight was at least partially blocked. Though there was enough light to see by, it was not from the sun. Instead of a sky there was a ceiling with lights built into it, along with a number of lamp poles dotted here and there. Before him was an intersection, big enough to fit a few houses in, that connected to a number of tunnels leading to unknown destinations. Judging from what appeared to be support pylons, he guessed that there was a structure or possible even a city above the location. This was unfamiliar territory and there was only one way to learn how hostile it was.

Using a nearby lamp as a stop-gap, he leapt down to the ruins, fully aware of how unusual he must look. He was dressed only in a one-piece bodysuit that cut off around his elbows and knees. The lack of footwear of any kind would probably cause him a great deal of trouble as he made his way through the tunnels. Doing his best to keep to the shadows, Bruce began looking for some kind of garbage pile, since that was his only option for clothing retrieval. After several minutes searching he noticed a refuse pile near one of the pylons. Waiting for him were a pair of boots that were falling apart along with a dirty brown overcoat with several holes in it. There were also numerous other pieces of trash and debris strewn about, including things he could not identify. Thankfully, the smell was not so pungent that it would draw attention to him, though the lack of grime on him might be a noticeable mark for someone down here.

Now that his most immediate problem was solved, Bruce could turn his attention to the next one on the list – getting information. He still had no idea where he was and what situation the place was in. The two assailants looked human and their circulatory system appeared to be the same, but that was no guarantee. One of the things he had learned over his career was that when you dealt with the unexpected and unknown, assumptions were a quick way to get yourself killed. Every move he made would have to be done as carefully and cautiously as possible. Compounding the difficulty was the state of destitution he was in. He had no food, no money and only the very shabby clothes on his back. Asking any of the local authorities for help would lead to some very difficult questions, assuming they did not write him off as a mentally ill vagabond. If he could get access to a phone or computer, he could try contacting the Manor. And, at some point, he needed to have his body examined. Something had been done to him, and finding out exactly what was a priority.

As he walked down the crooked tunnels, which steadily filled with more and more garbage of all shapes, sizes and kinds, Bruce took note of his surroundings. Almost an hour had passed with no sign of anyone he might speak with. He had called out in the hopes of catching someone's attention (hostile or not). That had failed. The place was like a maze, filled with twists, turns and dead ends. More than once he had to turn back and choose a new path because something blocked his way. Sometimes it had been a wall, sometimes a pylon base and a couple times it was because the area in front of him had collapsed. The garbage itself told him a number of things. First: whoever was living in the city above (he felt confident that there was a city) had technology that was quite further advanced than anything he knew to be public access. The people likely enjoyed a fairly high standard of living, if certain items were an accurate indicator. Some pieces he simply could not make heads or tails of, seemingly designed for use by someone other than a normal human being. A possibility loomed over his contemplations, one that strengthened as he examined more and more of the refuse, but he did not want to commit to it.

It was approaching the two hour mark when it happened. He had stopped to investigate a discarded rifle and armor, though it both were of a different make than the kind worn by the two assailants from earlier. It was far bulkier and constructed with a great deal of electronics woven into it. There was also a strange, scentless residue inside of it. The rifle was easy enough to lift and seemed to be operable by most humanoid standards. He was considering the merits of dissecting both of them for something he could use when the sounds of a struggle reached him. Acting on reflex, he immediately raced towards their origin. What he found were several men attacking a teenage girl of human appearance. They were wearing the same type of armor that he had just been examining a moment ago. Though he had no mask or any idea of what his opponents were capable of, he leapt into the fray.

* * *

There were times when she could not help but wonder if her dreams were just the universe's way of having a bit of fun at her expense. Several hours ago, she had been enjoying some nice, quiet, relaxing time to herself back at the tower. Somewhere during the first half of _The Odyssey_ holo, she had drifted off to sleep. When she woke up some twenty minutes later, she knew she had to go to the Underground. Why? Because that was what she had seen herself doing in the dream, of course. That was why she had come alone, in full costume, and was very ambiguous when Tinya asked where she was going. And that was also why she had wandered around for an hour before getting jumped by guys dressed in Science Police uniforms. The first three had not been much trouble. Their fighting style was incredibly sloppy, relying on brute force rather than anything resembling skill. Defeating them took her only a few minutes. The problem came when three more of them showed up almost out of nowhere. They were considerably better prepared for her than their comrades were. She was in the middle of fighting them when five more appeared and descended on her in seconds. She knew when and how they would attack, but reacting quickly enough to counter was a different story. Her opponents began to land blows, which really hurt, thanks to their armor. Difficult odds were nothing new to her, but in prior engagements there was an issue of scale at work – there might have been more of them, but she had not been fighting alone, either. Now, she was outnumbered eight – no, ten – to one and no one was watching her back.

She could not help but let out a gasp of pain when one of them struck her right across the jaw. She knew it was coming, saw him pulling his arm back two full minutes before he did so in reality. But moving to block him would have left her open to the one she was currently dealing with, and ignoring _him_ would have resulted in a broken leg. So, she chose the sore jaw instead. Desperate to get some breathing room, she flew into the one right in front of her, grabbing hold and ramming him into the ceiling. Even though there had been enough force to merit some kind of noise, her opponent gave no indication that he felt anything other than a suddenly limp body, which she tossed back into the rest. It did not hit any of them and she had not expected it too. What it had done was loosen up their formation, hopefully giving her the chance to fight back without worrying about too many variables screwing up her ability to react to her visions. The one closest to her received a swift kick to the head as she flew back down, sending him to the ground as well. Two more charged at her and she reacted by grabbing the closer one and flipping him over while angling her body to kick the other one directly in his midsection. Next, she could attack the largest by –

-_seeing the new one aim his blaster at her from a distance-_

She twisted around to avoid the shot, but it was too late. Her body went tumbling to the ground as a result of the blast, leaving her barely conscious. Desperately, she tried to lift herself up and prepare for the one on her left when he would kick her in the stomach. They did not intend to give her the chance and all she could do was wait –

-_wait for him to arrive, coming from the shadows behind them_-

When the one who shot her got knocked into a nearby wall, the rest immediately lost interest in her and started to rush their new opponent. Two of them were knocked aside when the newcomer kicked on right into the man behind him. That was just a mild start to the performance her rescuer gave. Nothing the armored men did could match him, none of them could touch him, and none of them could keep up with him. He was like a shadow, always out of their reach but never far away. With a sense of ease and display of martial skill that she had only seen rivaled by Val, he took each of them apart, leaving his opponents in crumpled piles of broken bones and battered bodies. Soon, only two of the eleven were left standing. They stuck close together and seemed as though they were trying to be intimidating. Her rescuer only gave a slight smile and motioned for them to come to him. They ran straight ahead would have been greeted by his fist if she had not decided that now was the time for some payback. Her foot cracked open the helmet of one, distracting the other and giving her partner the chance to unleash a flurry of punches and kicks that sent him to the floor in a heap. She delivered a right hook to the one exposed and allowed him to join his companions in unconsciousness.

"Thanks," she said. "That last one managed to hit me with a stun blast. They would have had me if you hadn't shown up."

"It was nothing," he muttered in response. It might have been her imagination, but he acted like he did not want her to get a good look at his face.

"Mmm-hmm. Well, you don't normally see good samaritans in the Underground. Especially ones highly trained in martial arts. How many styles were you using, anyway? I recognized some jujitsu and there was a boxing style I've never seen before."

That got his attention and he turned to face her. He stood a couple inches taller than she did and when she looked into his eyes what she saw belonged to someone much, much older than the person in front of her. Those were the eyes of someone dangerous.

"You're not from here, are you?" she asked. He paused a minute before answering.

"Where am I?"

"The Gotham Underground. Above us is the city. Below us is dirt and metal. Ahead of us are tunnels. Lots and lots and lots of tunnels. The year is 3006."

He took a step back when she told him the year.

"I'm a precog, that's how I knew what you would ask. When I concentrate, I can see into the future. How far ahead depends on the circumstances. The furthest ahead I've ever been able to go while awake is over two hours. When I'm dreaming, my visions can go months or years into the future. It's something the people of my planet are famous for, across the galaxy. Some Naltorians devote their entire lives to mapping out future events, but this rarely helps anyone avoid their future because we know what will happen, but not exactly when or why. I've been called a walking time loop because of this. I try not to use my power when talking to people because it makes conversations difficult, but sometimes I can't help myself. That answers the questions you were going to ask."

"Yes, it does." His face had become like a stone.

"Okay. Follow me, and I'll show you the way out of here."

"You just said you try not to use your power while conversing."

"I don't need to see the future to know you're going to ask me for directions. Someone like you doesn't want to wander the Underground dressed like that any longer than he has to. I can give you some clothes and a place to stay. Least I can do."

"You're quite observant for your age."

"The PreCommandos had me enrolled in a training program when I was fifteen. Natural talent for it, _old man_."

"Before I go anywhere, I want some information from these men."

He walked past her and knelt down next to the one with the cracked helmet, which he removed. The man's face reminded her of a skull, only with bloodshot eyes and nose filters. Her new friend motioned to her.

"Look at this," he said, pointing to a spot on the man's neck.

"Looks like a surgical scar," she said. "He's been operated on. That would explain why he never made a sound when we fought."

"Are you familiar with anything like this?"

"No. This is brand new to me."

"It's an extreme way of ensuring silence. Also counterproductive. Judging from his physical condition, it's unlikely he would be able to tell us much anyway. So why operate on him?"

"Maybe he can tell us something without his voice." She said and started slapping the man's face. "Wakey, wakey. We've got some questions."

The man's eyelids fluttered open, then went wide at the sight of her face. He moved to get away, but a foot on his arm put an end to that.

"Whoever sent you obviously did some very unpleasant things to your body. Give us some information and we'll help you get yourself back together. Does that sound good to you?"

The expression on the man's face turned murderous and he began mouthing words at her. She could not understand what he was 'saying' to her, but understood the intent behind it.

"You've had your face deformed and your vocal cords messed with. The person responsible doesn't deserve any loyalty. Tell us who he is and we can get you help. This doesn't have to be permanent."

He continued to mouth obscenities at her, even while she was talking to him. The moment she finished, her friend smashed his foot into the man's face, knocking him unconscious once more. She looked up at him with an annoyed expression.

"We might have gotten through to him. We hadn't even tried to lean on him a little bit. Now he won't tell us anything."

"He wouldn't have, anyway," he responded and bent over to turn the man's head and part the hair, revealing another scar running along the side of the skull.

"I've been checking the others and they all have them. The exact same scar in the exact same place. Whoever he is, the man doing this wants uniformity among his servants. I wouldn't be surprised if he's implanted some kind of mind control device."

"That makes sense."

"Is there anything about them that you recognize?"

"They're wearing standard Science Police armor, but that doesn't mean they're members. It's not hard to get S.P. tech on the black market. All it takes is a little bit of credits and a good contact."

"The Science Police…tell me everything you know about them."

The statement caused her to give him a dubious look.

"Everyone on Earth knows about the Science Police. They're the police force for the entire United Planets. The only reason someone wouldn't know about them is if they're from a really backwater planet or…"

Suddenly, everything about him clicked into place.

"You're from the past, aren't you?"

"Yes."

They looked at each other for some time until she broke off. Keeping her eyes on the unconscious man between them, she started telling him what she knew about the Science Police. Their rules, reputation, numbers, equipment, jurisdiction, everything that came to mind. He remained still except for the occasional nod to indicate that he was keeping up with her explanation. Several minutes passed before she finished and her throat was a bit sore from speaking a great deal over a lengthy amount of time.

"Someone is going to use men like these to stage an attack. Is there anything happening today?"

She had to think for a moment.

"There's a conference being held between representatives from Titan and Colu. Rumors say they're going to announce some kind of joint project, but I don't have any idea what it might be."

"Where's the conference being held?"

"In Gotham, I don't know where. I've got to inform the others." She started talking into the ring on her finger, then stopped. "There's no signal. It's still being jammed."

"We'll have to find whoever's behind this. Can your abilities tell us anything about where he might be?"

"Let me try…" She closed her eyes and concentrated on

_-a man, giving orders, but not saying anything, watching as his creations horribly butcher those in their way-_

"Gods of Naltor," she muttered

"What do you see?"

"The bad guy. We'll find him after going that way." She pointed towards a tunnel heading further underground.

"You're sure?"

"I'm never wrong."

"Alright. You head back to the surface, contact the police and warn them about what's coming."

"While you run off to fight him and however-many thugs he has with him? I'm going with you."

"I don't need your help."

"You're getting it, anyway. By the time I fly back, it will be too late for me to do anything. I can get us to him in time to stop him and trust me when I say that you will need my help. Don't call me young or inexperienced – this isn't the first psychotic I've had to stop from killing innocent people. I don't care if you work alone, we're wasting time arguing."

"I never said anything about working alone or your inexperience."

"Not yet, but you would have. Consider it saving time on my part."

"Fine, let's go."

"Great. Here, let me carry you," she suggested. The expression on his face was not a pleasant one.

"It'll be better than walking. Don't be such a baby."

Though his expression remained the same, he acquiesced and she picked him up and started flying down the tunnel.

_Not that heavy, but I'm glad I won't be doing this for very long_. She thought. "I'm Nura, by the way. Nura Nal. When I'm working I go by the name Dream Girl."

She waited for him to answer. He seemed loathe to give up any information about himself, but she knew he would allow her a concession.

"Bruce Wayne."

"Welcome to the 31st century, Bruce Wayne. Hopefully we'll both survive the experience.

* * *

He was a quiet man. He had to be.

Growing up, he had thought that the way to get ahead in life was to be as loud as possible. Make sure that everyone important was looking at you. If they were looking at you, they were not looking at anyone else, meaning that you would be the one they picked. You would be the one chosen to receive the best of everything that was available in the galaxy. Money, prestige, women, all of these were things you could only receive by being loud and making yourself heard. When he was in school, he made sure that the teachers would only hear his voice when getting answers to questions. It did not matter what the subject was or who he made upset as a result – his voice would be the one they paid attention to, and no one else's. If someone tried to use telepathy to get by him, he would make sure that his voice drowned out their thoughts. He had made few friends because he acted that way, but he had gotten the attention of the influential and that more than made up for any hurt feelings. Or so he thought.

Dr. Tarik Laulsk of Titan stood up from his chair, the only one in the building. It was only in the isolation of his study that he allowed himself to sit and ruminate about the past. He walked over to the small window and looked down at his servants below. Each of them had been modified to his liking, and they were preparing the neural link relay for its usage in just one short hour. One hour and then he would take his revenge on those responsible for his silence. He sat back down at his desk and began looking over his notes on the procedure ahead. It was not about double-checking his work, or worrying about any overlooked miscalculations. This was an exercise in memory. What he would do next required complete and total concentration. Summoning that meant he would have to dig deep inside of himself and bring every memory his life to surface. That was the only way to generate enough hatred to keep him focused on the task at hand. That was the only way to make sure that everything he had done with his life would not be for nothing. That was the only way he could enjoy watching his enemies as they died slow deaths as he cut them far, far worse than they had cut him.

His childhood on Titan had been pleasant enough by the standards most sapients set for raising the next generation. Both of his parents loved him as best they could, teaching him discipline while showing him affection. Father would often take him aside and explain how important it was to stay focused, especially for someone from Titan.

"Telepaths," Father had said, "have to be doubly-careful in order to keep their minds from wandering. We can casually learn a person's most deeply guarded secret by pure accident simply because of the way the brain works. Others will find it easy to hate us for that, claiming we invade their privacy because we want to. That's why focus is important. You must keep your mind focused at all times."

Tarik had lived his life according to his father's advice. While other kids were wasting their youth on the most frivolous things imaginable, he kept working towards his ultimate goal of success in life and the respect that came with it. Teachers loved him because of the effort he put into making sure that every single part of every single assignment was completely and totally correct. Errors of any kind could not be tolerated because they meant that he was not paying attention, that he was not focused. By the time he became a teenager, he had started to neglect his telepathy, often making a point not to use it for days at a time. This caused some concern in his parents, but he was doing so well in his studies that they were reluctant to confront him over something that was relatively trivial. It was not as though he had been some kind of social outcast – it was easy enough for him to gain companionship when he desired it. It was, after all, just a matter of putting the problem in perspective and treating it like any other. His academic excellence often provided a convenient excuse for initiating contact in order to provide his services as a tutor and he never lacked any kind of confidence for approaching someone.

His mind was easily his greatest source of pride and no one on Titan was capable of surpassing his intellectual prowess. It was not something he had ever tried to keep to himself – being loud was the best way to get ahead. When he was twenty-one years old, it appeared that years of adherence to his personal philosophy had paid off. A scientist from Colu came to see him, claiming that he had great potential. All his work indicated a level eleven intelligence. Tarik had been researching how the Titanian brain functions and made several intriguing proposals to use artificial means to enhance a Titanian brain's capabilities. Since the Coluan had also been researching mechanical methods of improving cognitive ability, would Tarik like to come with him to Colu so that they could work together on a project?

He could not have said 'yes' fast enough. Coluans were notoriously proud of their intellect, to the point that they placed it at the highest level of importance in their society. Intelligence was so valued that they even went so far as to use the name of one of the most infamous figures in galactic history as a way to designate when someone had reached the famed state of level twelve intelligence. For one of them to offer a non-Coluan a chance to come to their planet and work side-by-side on anything was almost unheard of. Certainly, no one could remember the last time someone from Titan had been offered a chance like this. In less than a standard week, Tarik had packed his things and left for Colu, confident that this would be his chance to make his voice heard throughout the galaxy. He had been nothing less than a complete and total fool.

After the moment he first set foot on Colu, he should have realized his decision had been in error. No one there regarded him with anything less than contempt. It was one thing for Coluans to go among the lower beings that composed the greater mass of the galaxy's population, but to allow one of them to be granted a place on their planet? The planet where anything less than genius was unacceptable? It was an insult and each Coluan he met seemed to take it personally. Even Nran Lon, the Coluan who had invited him to come, regarded him only as a lab assistant and not as an equal. Somehow, they even managed to keep their thoughts quiet whenever he was around, so that he could not 'hear' what they thought of him. It was just as well – even if his father had not warned him about casual telepathy, even if he had not spent his life dulling that part of him, he had no desire to learn what went on in the heads of those green-skinned, self-righteous, arrogant cretins. He had briefly mentioned his unease to his mother, who advised him to return home rather than deal with their scorn. That could not be done. He had made the decision to come to Colu after giving it proper focus. Returning to Titan would not only be a sign of weakness and defeat, it would be an admission that he had lost focus for the first time in his life. That could not be countenanced, not under any circumstances.

So he remained on Colu, working alongside Nran on a project guaranteed to win him the respect of everyone on Colu and everywhere else. They were going to create an artificial brain that, once completed, would act as a model for the construction of mechanical replacements for Titanians (and later all sapients) that had suffered from severe brain damage. It would be a watershed event for both medical and A.I. technology. The main problem for him was the inability to replicate a Titanian's telepathic abilities due to programming limitations. Nran was also having trouble getting the A.I. to duplicate sentient behavior well enough to keep up with the demands of a functioning brain. For a time, his work looked to have hit a dead end when he received a message from an anonymous source pointing him to some research done on Earth around the late 20th century. From there, he did a little bit of digging until he finally found what he had been looking for – a program that would allow him to construct an A.I. capable of matching an organic brain. Without telling Nran, he had constructed his own A.I. brain and started running tests on it. Early results were hopeful, but there was still the lingering problem of how to duplicate telepathy. After a month of frustration, he brought Nran in to help him. The Coluan was quite upset over Tarik's usurpation of his work, but he acted like the opportunity to see their project come to fruition was enough to solve any feelings of betrayal. Tarik knew better than to trust the Coluan, so he once again took matters into his own hands. He constructed implants and placed them in both his skull and later his throat. These implants would be connected to the A.I. brain and he could use them to fix the problems and finally complete the work begun almost two years prior.

Unfortunately, he could not continue without some lab assistance, so he informed Nran of what he had done and told him to bring a few trustworthy individuals with him to the special lab prepared. Once again, Nran was angry, but this time he masked it with concern over what Tarik had done to himself. A Coluan should have known better than to pretend that success did not always come with some kind of price. Nran continued to act reluctant even as he helped begin the experiment, readying the equipment while he checked the connections to the A.I. brain. He should have known better, should have known the Coluan would betray him. When the brain displayed signs of a power surge, Nran suggested aborting the experiment, knowing that Tarik would trust his calculations and not consider the possibility of sabotage. When the surge did hit and send him to the ground, Nran acted like he did not know that Tarik's hearing had been lost. Nran acted like he was trying to save the life of a colleague, when he was discussing with his associates the best way to ensure his silence. The memories of that moment were so vivid, he almost felt like he was there, lying on the ground and watching the Coluans confer with each other. He could not hear a word they were saying and it had been too long since he had used his telepathy, too long for him to remember how to use it to communicate effectively. Perhaps if he had not been in such pain, such panic, things might have happened differently. But that assumes the Coluans would have been willing to help him. He tried to speak, to tell them what to do, but the implant in his throat felt like it was both burning and choking him. He tried to remove it, his hands scratching at his throat, hoping the Coluans would understand what he was trying to tell them. And they did. That is why they gathered around him and held his arms down. That is why Nran cut open his throat and robbed him of his ability to ever speak – to ever be loud – again.

Tarik had tried to regain his voice, using every option available to him. It was all for nothing. Somehow, the implant had fused itself to his throat and destroyed every nerve ending, everything he needed to speak. Removing it was dangerous and his body rejected any replacement tissue grown for him. A hearing aid allowed him to hear again, but without his voice he was incomplete. Nran used the incident to get him removed from Colu, tainting him so that no one would give him the time of day anymore. Depressed, he had come to Earth in the hopes of continuing his work on the A.I. brain and maybe find a way to heal himself in the process. He did not know how many years he had spent in the Underground, toiling away at the brain for hours upon hours upon hours, stopping only because his body could not function without some rest. All he knew was that each day brought him just a little bit closer to his ultimate goal, his chance at salvation. But then he got word about another joint Titan-Colu venture. The same anonymous friend from before had alerted him to what Nran was doing, trying to steal his work from him. The Coluan was not content with ruining his life once; he had to do it again and with a larger audience.

Ending his recollections, Tarik stood up again and exited the room. Around him, his servants continued to go about their work, giving up no indication that they even realized he was there. None of them needed instructions about where to go or what to do – noise such as that had no place here. Voices would only serve as a distraction, something to delay the moment he had been dreaming of for months now. Speaking loudly was no longer the shining virtue that he once believed it to be, and he was better focused because of this revelation. As softly as possible, he walked down a staircase towards the center of the room on the lower level, where his life's work rested on a pedestal, wires coming out of it.

Things would be different this time. It had taken years, but Tarik had finally learned the value of silence. Silently, he had prepared for this day. Noiselessly, he made himself capable of taking revenge against those who had dared to harm him. Silence had a quality to it that he had been too loud and unfocused to notice. When you were silent, no one could hear you coming. No one would be ready when you struck. That was the value of being the Quiet Man.

* * *

As they went deeper and deeper into the Underground, Bruce tried to make a mental map of their surroundings. He guessed that they were somewhere in Gotham's old subway tunnels, remarkably well-preserved considering that they had seen several hundred years of neglect. When this was over, he would be spending some time learning ever little thing that had been done to his city between his time and the present. He could feel Nura shifting to accommodate his weight since the girl lacked super-strength of any kind and she could only fly because of the ring she wore. An interesting piece of technology, it was something he would have to dissect when he got the chance. While flying, she answered his questions about the time period, explaining the recent formation of the United Planets, the more noteworthy members of the organization, and the team she was a member of. That part interested him a great deal and she was just starting to explain the legality (or lack thereof) of their operation when she suddenly brought both of them down to the ground, hiding behind a stone outcropping.

"Wait here a second," she said and he did so. Less than a minute passed before two armored men walked past them while carrying large rifles. Bruce had to admit that her precognitive ability appeared legitimate. Or she was leading him into a trap.

"We're here," she said and then peeked her head up. "That looks like the kind of place a super-villain would hide in."

Once he got a look at the structure, Bruce agreed. Ruined structures like the one before them did have an allure to the costumed set. It appeared to have been a station, with tunnels leading in and out of it. Probably had two floors, based on its height. Though there were guards on patrol, they numbered less than he expected. The man inside likely did not expect anyone to attack him here and committed the bulk of his force to the attack on the surface. Instinctively, Bruce reached to grab a pair of binoculars from his belt and then berated himself for stupidity. Even after all this time, he kept making little mistakes like that and forgetting how different things had been for a long time.

"Are you going to share your plan with me yet?" Nura asked. Bruce considered the platinum blond next to him. She was younger than Barbara was in the beginning and wearing a silver leotard with silver boots. Decent enough fighting skills, but could he count on her?

"There's a depressed area near the ceiling on that side of the building, next to the window where the roof collapsed," Bruce pointed to it as he explained. "It's a good hiding place. Wait there until I give the signal."

"You're not going to try and charge in there, are you?"

"I have experience getting into areas undetected. Just be ready to move in when I need you."

He was about to slip away when she put a hand on his shoulder. Nura then removed a piece of black cloth she had around her wrist.

"I almost forgot to give you this."

Bruce looked it over and then tied it around his face. The eyeholes lined ups fairly well.

"Precog, remember? And don't forget, when I tell you to jump, make it your left."

Nura then flew up to the spot he picked out, leaving Bruce to wonder about her for a second time before he began to make his way inside. Having a mask on his face again felt better than he expected it to and he had felt very uncomfortable without it. His body easily remembered the old methods, sticking to the shadows and making no sound as he prowled around his objective. A guard would look left for a second and he would dash to the right, his feet only faintly hitting the ground. He approached in a wide circle, wanting to get as much of a look at the place as possible before going inside. There were no obvious signs of traps of any kind, but experience had taught him that was nothing close to a guarantee. The guards patrolled in very strict, predictable patterns, making Bruce wonder if their employer was simply sloppy or if he knew they were coming. There were still plenty of unknowns relating to the situation, which left Bruce extremely aggravated.

Waiting in the shadows right next to the building, he jumped on of the guards, rendering him unconscious in under a minute. Bruce then examined the rifle – it was surprisingly light for its size, but he had no desire to check its durability or what kind of blast it produced. He dragged the guard into an out of the way spot. There was no kind of radio chatter. Unsurprising, since it was likely the all shared the same scars, but how were they communicating with each other? Some kind of telepathy? No time to ponder it for too long, since the attack could start at any minute. After a quick glance around, he reached the entrance on the building's left side and entered. Inside was a chaotic setting, with all kinds of electronic devices strewn around with no obvious pattern to their placement. Thick clumps of wires ran across the floor, connecting pieces of equipment to each other. Bruce knelt down next to one of the larger devices, which was emitting a loud humming noise. As he studied the writing along the side, he realized that it was a generator. There were more of them down the hallway and the wires were usually thickest around them. He w was trying to power something that required a lot of operating energy. Whatever it was, it likely had a connection to the attack on the conference.

'_How very observant of you._'

Bruce spun around, but could not see anyone. Then he realized that he had not actually 'heard' the words. They had come to him the same way J'onn would communicate with others.

"You're a telepath." Bruce said aloud. No point in being quiet now.

'_And you are not. But do not worry – I won't hold that against you. I know what it is like to be looked down upon because of heritage and I do not wish to show you the same rudeness. Perhaps you would care to join me in the upper level. That way we could communicate with each other face-to-face, as civilized beings should.'_

"I doubt you would accept a 'no'."

'_Indeed I would not. We can discuss why when you join me. I shall send one of my men to guide you.'_

One of the armored figures appeared in front of Bruce a couple minutes later. Deciding to play along for now, he followed it through the hallways and into the main room, which was just as cluttered as the others. The only difference was that all the devices, particularly the generators, were organized around a central pedestal. It was a machine of some kind, connected to various monitors and computers that were encircling it. At the top was an object encased in what looked like glass, ovular in shape, with a number of diodes and other devices sticking out of it. Parts of it would lighten and darken seemingly at random, flickering like a light bulb that was shorting out. The guard continued to lead him up a stairwell, where a man was waiting for him. He looked like a young human, probably in his late twenties and was dressed in a dirty lab coat, fastened tightly. His neck bore a scar like the others, but it was far wider and uglier. Though Bruce could not tell from both the thick, unruly hair and the goggles strapped around the man's head, he held a strong suspicion that the man also had a scar on the left side of his head.

'_Welcome to my laboratory. I am Dr. Tarik Laulsk. Please do not think that the mess is indicative of the way I normally conduct my work. Setbacks have forced me to accept degrade forms of testing areas. Once today's project is complete, I shall be able to move my lab to a higher quality of location.'_

"So, you're the one who tampered with the heads of the city's police?"

'_I am. It was necessary in order to procure their loyalty as lab assistants and technicians. For what I have planned, a great deal of manpower is required and of a specific type.'_

"You need them to do the dirty work for you."

'_You make it sound so primitive. I am not some thug off of Rimbor, looking to harm someone for a thrill. This is about exacting justice on those who have insulted me, left me deformed, and stolen my life's work. The Coluans must pay for what they have done to me.'_

"Even if innocent people are killed."

_'I just told you that I am not some common criminal. These men whose services I have retained? All of them were corrupt in one way or another. The Gotham Division of the Science Police is notorious for its corruption. That is why I made sure only to pick from them. This man next to you received weekly bribes from a drug smuggling ring in exchange for his help in covering up their activities. Those two men down there beat an innocent man for over an hour in order to get him to confess to a murder they had committed. The one operating the power regulator agreed to tamper with evidence in order to clear a public official accused of corruption in exchange for a promotion and an early retirement plan. Right now these men are doing something truly beneficial for society, an action they would never have come to of their own accord. I am a Titanian, young man. I can look into someone's mind and see what truly resides there.'_

"Which gives you the authority to be judge, jury and executioner."

'_Ah, you're human. That explains your attitude. Earth-born, no doubt. A judge and jury are only necessary when there is a possibility that the accused's guilt is in doubt. There is no doubt when a telepath is involved. All we have to do is open your mind and see what is hidden there. After that, things such as judges and juries become superfluous. This is simple logic.'_

"Do all Titanians see things your way?"

'_They…do not. What you humans refer to as 'due process' is a common though on many worlds and Titan is no different. Entry into the United Planets has only increased the tendency towards inefficiency. People are losing focus.'_

"But not you."

_'Of course not. I have dedicated my life to becoming as disciplined as possible. I never lose focus, not even for an instant. Only the unintelligent and barbaric allow themselves to lose focus. I know you share certain sensibilities with me in this regard. That is why I wished to communicate with you.'_

"You read my mind."

_'Not to the extent you are likely thinking of. Part of retaining focus is strict control of all my mental faculties, which includes telepathy. Unfortunately, something all Titanians admit, it is impossible not to pick up a sense from people in regards to strongly held beliefs. Without speaking or reading their mind, a Titanian will instantly know if someone is driven or lazy, happy or sad, in love or not. The moment you entered the building, I sensed your strong belief in control. I hoped that you would understand my position and help me to complete my work and keep that girl waiting outside from interfering further.'_

"If you're such an intelligent, reasonable man, why did you have your men attack her?"

'_That girl, and others like her, are part of a group dedicated to preserving the social order, no matter what or how strongly they claim to the contrary. They even allow a Coluan to work alongside of them. Understanding would be beyond them. Even so, I gave orders only to have her detained, not killed. I am not heartless. People will see that.'_

"You can't believe that. The Coluan and Titanian governments will hunt you down for what you're planning to do. The Science Police will want revenge for what you did to their people."

'_They will not find me. They will not know who is responsible. I have blanked the minds of every single one of my assistants. Without me and the brain to guide them, they would be nothing more than empty shells. When I do come forward, it will be when the brain has been perfected and I can use it to destroy all of Colu. Once I show the galaxy what the Coluans truly are, they will thank me for my actions and I will finally be able to return home. Now tell me, what do you think of my purpose? Have I swayed you?"_

"You're a madman."

'_No, I am the _Quiet Man_. I make no sound so that my enemies will not hear me. Sadly, I must count you among them.'_

Before the guard could move against him, Bruce kicked Laulsk in the stomach, causing him to double over in pain. While the Quiet Man was down, he delivered a round of punches and kicks to the guard. Nura then came through the window, flying headlong into a group of guards running towards Bruce.

'_Begin the attack! Wait no further!'_

Before either could do anything, a large monitor blinked on as the brain stared emitting more light. Bruce and Dream Girl could only watch as the Quiet Men began their assault.

000

When she started chewing her pen, Shvaughn Erin realized that it simply had not been a good day. Granted, good days were usually few and far between in Gotham, but today it was getting to her. The day had started off like any other. She woke, dragged herself to the SPGD headquarters, ignored her partner's usual taunts and got back to work on her latest case. Things started to go badly for her when Captain Girin informed her that she was being reassigned and all work she had been doing concerning allegations against Councilman Tomis was to be handed over to him so he could find a suitable officer to follow up on it. Girin, who had attended fundraisers for Tomis at least twice, then informed her that all departments would be undergoing some 'housecleaning' in order to make them more efficient. Roughly four hours later, just as she had finished getting everything ready, Erin was told to report to the Gotham Technology Institute, where she would then play caretaker to a number of Coluans and Titanians as they posed for the Hyperfeed and shook hands. She had been doing that for roughly the past hour and was starting to wonder if shooting herself in the head would be the best way to deal with her problems. It would certainly break the monotony.

Five minutes after she started fingering her gun, Officer Quian started walking towards the GTI's entrance. Since Quian had not been seen in over three days, Erin felt the need to stop and make him answer some questions about his recent whereabouts. When he pulled his gun on her, she started wishing for the monotony.

"What the hell are you doing, Quian? Even if you shoot me, the other guys will bring you in on a murder charge. Have you lost your mind?"

Quian did not answer. When a shot rang out, Erin flinched and expected to be reunited with her old dog. Instead, she saw the glass door to GTI shatter as two more Science Policemen emerged from the Underground and opened fire on the building. Two of the other Science Police with her drew their weapons and returned fire, only to be cut down in a flurry of blaster fire. More and more S.P. officers were coming out of the Underground and Erin knew she had to do something or she would end up like her two friends lying on the ground. Her opportunity came when a Coluan member of the delegation got a little too close to the door and Quian turned to shoot him. He never had a chance to because Erin grabbed her own gun and fired it directly into Quian's chest, killing him immediately. He made no noise as he hit the ground. Miraculously, she avoided getting hit as she ran inside and started pushing the Coluan to safety.

"What is going on here?!" he demanded.

"A whole lotta people dressed as Science Police are trying to kill us. Now move!" Erin ordered and continued pushing him until they were away from the entrance. Occasionally, Erin would shoot behind her in the hopes of both hitting something and getting the attackers to hesitate in their advance.

"Is that gunfire?"

"Are we under attack?"

"Someone's trying to kill us!"

"Officer, what are you doing about this?"

"Quiet!" Erin shouted, which got the assorted aliens to stop talking. "Yes, we are being attacked by a large number of individuals and if you will please listen to me and do as I say, I promise to do my best to get all of you out of this alive and-"

Before she could finish, the doors behind her began to be pummeled by shots from outside. Erin turned to one of the two remaining Science Police.

"You – get these people out of here. You – get on my flank and open fire when I do."

As the scientists were huddled out, one of the invaders peeked his head through a hole in the door, giving Erin a clear shot. Her fellow officer followed her lead and the two kept shooting for roughly five minutes, after which time they no longer heard sounds coming from right outside the door.

"Let's go!" she said and they rushed out the same exit as the scientists, only to come head long into another group of attackers. A flurry of gunfire ensued and left Erin the only one standing. Hearing more sounds coming from the exit ahead, she raced up a nearby flight o stairs and into a room with the scientists and her last remaining bit of backup.

"Control, this is Officer Erin reporting an attempt on the delegation. Shots fired and there are officers down. Request immediate backup on my position. Be aware – hostiles are wearing S.P. armor." She relayed to her ear comm.

"What do we do now?" the S.P. beside her asked.

"Wait for backup, hope our ammo holds and pray, if you want." Erin then motioned to the Titanians. "Can you get into their heads?"

"We've been trying. There's nothing inside their minds but orders to kill us."

"Wonderful. Okay, we're not going to be able to stay here for long and since they're guarding the front, we have to go up." Erin gestured to the other officer. "Check that exit. If it's clear, start moving the civilians. I've got the rear."

"Yes ma'am."

While he saw to his orders, Erin peeked out the door and saw one of them coming up the stairs. She fired off a couple shots and they stopped coming, but she could not be sure if she had actually hit anything.

"Ma'am, should we call, y'know, _them_?" her fellow officer asked, his voice hesitant.

Erin clinched her teeth. It was understood among Science Police across the galaxy and of all ranks that it was preferable to suffer every type of grievous bodily harm imaginable rather than to call those kids in. Yet, it was not just her life at stake and if one of the civilians died because she struck to some power play, she would have to turn in her badge. On the other hand, if backup managed to secure the area before they got here, she would also have to turn in her badge, albeit for different reasons. She let out a frustrated sigh.

"I hate my job, anyway." She switched the ear comm to the 'emergency' frequency. "This is Science Police Officer Shvaughn Erin…"

* * *

As his fist smashed into the guard's face, Bruce reflected that the helmets issued by the Science Police probably suffered from poor construction. One good hard blow was all it took to break through and reach the flesh inside. The one he just struck fell backwards into unconsciousness and Bruce was already tearing into the next one, landing blow after blow. The Quiet Man's servants were a decent challenge, but they weren't any more of a danger than the thousands of other cannon fodder he had dealt with over the years. The real enemy was time – the longer he wasted it on fighting these men; the likelier it was that the force sent to eliminate the meeting would succeed. He stole a glance at Dream Girl to make sure she was all right. Despite facing a stiff challenge of her own, the girl was performing admirably. Her fighting style was not one he recognized, but it managed to get the job done.

"There are more of them than I thought, "Nura said as she finished one. " And I'm having trouble seeing what they'll do next."

"That's likely his doing. He's using his telepathy to interfere with your abilities."

"Is that all? If he's a telepath he should be-" she ducked a fist "-doing more."

The fight had moved to the main floor of the building, several feet away from the brain's pedestal. Laulsk did not seem to be doing anything other than standing and observing the spectacle. The brain continued to pulsate.

"There's a reason for that." Bruce said.

"Would you mind telling me?"

"If we survive. Concentrate on destroying the pedestal."

She did her best, using every ability she had. Her precognitive powers might have been dampened, but they weren't completely gone, meaning that she could stay a step ahead of her opponents. With Bruce around to keep her from becoming overwhelmed by numbers and possible futures, the two of them managed to clear the room of guards, leaving only the Quiet Man and his personal guard.

'_Your skill and tenacity are both impressive, but they will not help-what are you doing?!'_

As the Quiet Man had started talking, Bruce picked up a shock rod and stared battering away at the pedestal's control console. He might have destroyed it if one of the fallen servants had not suddenly sprung to his feet and tackled Bruce. Though he was quickly knocked away, all of his comrades began getting up as well.

'_As I was communicating, your skills cannot save you. My Quiet Men may be briefly delayed in their appointed task, but I can always command them to rise. They will not know pain or fear or weakness unless I allow them to do so. Surrender and I will let you live.'_

Bruce looked around and considered the situation.

"Fly up there and take out that brain."

"They'll be all over you in a second if-"

"Do it!"

Nura was in the air before she realized it. She did not reflect on his temerity in ordering her or how easily she obeyed. Instead, she darted towards the brain, ready to take it apart. She drew back her fist, struck it, and fell after the shock coursed through her body.

'_Truly, truly foolish. Did you really think that I would not install a protective device upon my life's work?'_

Bruce bounded over the armored figures rushing towards him and caught Nura before she hit the floor, all while berating himself for continued sloppiness. He should know better than this by now. Narrowing his eyes, Bruce decided to put an end to this.

_'Give up. You have my word that I will not kill you. I am not an evil man, only a quiet one.'_

Bruce set Nura down under the stairwell and kicked back two of the oncoming guards. They got back on their feet, but their movements were more sluggish than usual. Bruce grabbed hold of the railing and used it to vault onto the stairs, kicking a guard out of the way in the process. Moving faster than he had in years, Bruce was up the stairs and several feet away from the Quiet Man.

"Sloppy work."

'_What are you talking about?'_

"The brain requires you to input commands telepathically, rather than function completely on its own. That's why your men are so sluggish. You can't guide it and do anything else at the same time. The Coluans were right."

'_What?!"_

"If you had the intelligence you claimed, the brain wouldn't need constant guidance. As I said – sloppy."

'_How dare you?! Do you know how long I have spent working on it? The brain works! It's capable of formulating its own thoughts and decisions! Nothing the Coluans have ever done come close to matching it!"_

"So it thinks, but ignores you unless forced. Clearly, it understands the kind of man you are."

'_Shut up! Shut up!'_

"You don't even trust it to run alone long enough to deal with us. If the brain truly worked, you would have been able to use your telepathy to shut our minds down. Hardly the sign of a genius."

The guards in the lab were almost completely immobile. The ones viewed on the monitor continued fighting, but their movements were incredibly clumsy and relief for the Science Police had arrived.

"Poor workmanship, clumsy usage, little adaptability. How someone as incompetent and unfocused as you ever got Coluan attention is a question only a genius could answer. Maybe I should ask a member of the delegation."

'Quiet_! I demand that you be _QUIET_!'_

Laulsk grabbed his guard's pistol and started shooting, desperate to kill his opponent. In his rage, he ever thought to aim and when Bruce easily dodged his blasts, they headed straight for the brain. When they hit, pieces of the AI blew off and the rest was a charred, smoldering mess. All the slaves, whether in the lab or on the monitor, immediately collapsed.

_'What did you do?! What did you make me do?!'_ Laulsk's mind screamed and then he rushed at Bruce, who simply swatted him aside. A strange, gurgling sound emanated from the man and it took Bruce a moment to realize that the Quiet Man was trying to speak. Bruce grabbed him by the collar, pulled his arm back and knocked him out with a punch.

Other than the low hum of the generators, all was silent inside the lab. Bruce walked down the stairwell to find that Dream Girl was already up and waiting for him, a smile on her face. Then she spoke.

"Jump."

He did as she told; narrowly avoiding the piece of falling roof that now occupied his former spot. Had he jumped to his right, it was likely that he would have landed on the pedestal and received a sharp shock.

"Told you," Nura said.

Underneath the mask, Bruce smiled and then looked up to see what had caused part of the ceiling to come down. The reason was about 5'9", blond and wore a familiar "S" insignia on her chest.

"Huh. Looks like I missed out," Supergirl said. "Hey, Dreamy! We've been wondering where you went. You should have told us you were going after a bad guy all by yourself. Cos is going to have conniptions when he finds out."

"Cos always has conniptions these days. Besides, I had some help." Dream Girl gestured to Bruce and Supergirl floated down next to him.

"Haven't seen you around before, but thanks for chipping in."

"You need to be more careful about your entrances, Supergirl. Your cousin should have warned you about structural integrity in older buildings."

Supergirl took a step back and her eyes went wide. That was a very familiar voice.

"Wait, wait, Batman? Is that you?"

"Batman?" Dream Girl asked, a bemused expression on her face.

"Our perpetrator is a Titanian named Tarik Laulsk. He calls himself the Quiet Man. We'll need psi-shields to make sure he doesn't escape." Batman said.

"That's wonderful, but what are you doing here? This is a time-travel thing, right? Duh, of course it's a time-travel thing. Don't worry, Brainy will have you back home once we've finished cleaning things up."

"It may not be that simple."

"Why not?"

"I'll discuss that later."

"What's wrong with now?"

"He probably wants some clean clothes," Dream Girl said as she dragged Laulsk's limp form over to the group. Supergirl took a second look at the man in front of her.

"Oh! Sorry. There's a costume maker back at the tower. I'll drop this guy off with the S.P. and fly you there. Brainy, you there?"

"I'm inside the institute. The attack has stopped. Did you find who was controlling the S.P. officers?"

"I did, but it was Dream Girl and…and someone else who stopped him. I'm bringing the bad guy up, so make sure the S.P. has psi-dampeners waiting for me. I, uh, I'm going to have to fly back home for a bit. That okay?"

"There's no need for any further combat, so I see no reason to protest. Can I ask you why you have to go?"

"It has to do with the guy who helped Dream Girl. I'll tell you everything once we're back at the tower."

"Very well."

Supergirl grabbed Laulsk by his collar and put an arm around Batman's waist. Soon, he experienced the feeling of being carried up, up and away.

* * *

Roughly a half-hour later, Kara and Nura were outside one of the guest rooms, waiting for their new arrival to finish. The Naltoran spent the time relating her adventure and what few details she knew about him.

"The guy just lost it at the end. Does he usually have that effect on the bad guys?"

"Never seen a first-hand example, but right before I left the grapevine had it that he made Angle-Man start crying."

"Tears and everything?"

"Like a scared little baby. Then again, this is Angle-Man we're talking about."

"Not the most terrifying opponent?"

"I'm pretty sure Bouncing Boy is scarier than he is."

They both giggled at that. Then the door behind them opened to reveal the Dark Knight, clothed exactly as he was the last time Supergirl had seen him. Dream Girl took a moment to consider the black and grey look.

"Feeling better?" she asked.

"Slightly."

"Brainy's firing up the time machine, so all you have to do is give us a date to punch in."

"That won't be necessary."

"Don't tell me you want to stay and poke around? You hate being away from Gotham." Supergirl said.

"I wasn't pulled from the past like you were."

"What are you talking about?" Supergirl asked. Dream Girl had a set expression.

"My last memory is of dying in a bed as an old man. This is the body of a nineteen-year-old, with no sign of the injuries I accumulated over my lifetime. I should look like a 115 year old man, barely able to move."

"Did someone perform a body swap?" Supergirl asked.

"If they did, it was into a body that's a perfect copy of the one I had at that age. Someone is trying to use me and I won't be going anywhere until I find out who it is."

Neither of the girls were sure of exactly what to say in response to that pronouncement. Batman gave no sign of indecision or hesitancy. His face was the same hard, blank slate that Supergirl remembered it being. Kara was just about to offer to help in whatever way she could when approaching footsteps distracted her. It was Brainiac 5.

"Brainy. Listen, there's something you need to know about Batman."

"What I have to say concerns him as well and it would be best if you allowed me to speak first. I've just returned from trying to activate the time machine. It will not function."

"Can you fix it?" Kara asked.

"No. Whatever happened to it is not the result of mechanical failure. Someone took the opportunity to deliberately sabotage it during my absence. The damage is currently beyond my ability to repair. Batman, you are stuck in the 31st century."

* * *

Notes:

This story is set in DCAU continuity, after the events of Batman Beyond, the Superman episode "New Kids in Town" and the Justice League episode "Far From Home". Any members of the Legion you saw in those episodes will appear in this story, along with a few others that I'm assuming were 'off-screen' at the time, but I can't testify about how large their roles will be. My knowledge of Legion lore is a bit spotty and I'm taking the route of throwing together various bits and pieces that I like about their various permutations. Since we saw very little of the DCAU interpretation, I think this alright.

The Quiet Man is a rather drastic reimagining of an old Legion villain called Tarik the Mute, who founded the original Legion of Super-Villains. When I realized that the new villain I planned to kick the story off with shared surface similarities with Tarik, I went ahead and merged the two.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Despite protesting that he was not injured, the Med-Docs had insisted they perform an examination. As though a level-eleven intelligence such as himself would not be aware of any physical deficiencies. Once again, it occurred to him that humans had a tendency to assume that all creatures were as unobservant as themselves. He wondered if they even had the proper training for treating a wounded Coluan. This city did not enjoy a good reputation and it was a small mystery concerning why the meeting had been chosen to take place here. Once they finished, he stood up and began looking for the other representatives from Colu. Assuming enough of them were unharmed, there was no reason to forestall the project announcement. So much work should not be put to waste.

All around him were signs of the battle. Windows were broken, walls were either filled with holes or missing large parts and the still bodies of fallen Science Police – both attacker and defender – were strewn about. He took care not to disturb any of the bodies as he walked. Though criminology and police work were not his fields of study, he knew from experience how important it was to ensure that a crime scene went uncontaminated. His eyes soon fell on the woman who had led him and the rest of the delegation to safety. She was speaking with another Science Police officer and he waited for them to finish before he approached her.

"Excuse me, I did not get your name." he said.

"Huh? Oh, I'm Shvaughn Erin." She extended her hand.

"I am Nran Lon of the Coluan Planetary Institute of Engineering. All of us owe you our lives, officer."

"Maybe. We probably wouldn't be standing here if those kids hadn't shown up when they did."

"That is a possibility. However, it is a certainty that without your efforts and sound judgment, we would not have survived long enough to receive their help. We will make it a point to ensure that the Science Police recognizes your efforts here today."

"Um, thank you Mr. Lon, but I really don't want you to go to any unnecessary trouble."

"Necessity is what compels me to see to your commendation. The only way an organization can be expected to last is if those who show talent and worthwhile skills are encouraged to continue their service within said organization."

"Alright," Erin said with a shrug. Nran doubted that humility was the source of her reluctance, so he would have to be careful of the channels he used when expressing Colu's collective gratitude.

"If the Med-Docs have already checked you out, you're free to leave, Mr. Lon. I can see about getting you some transportation." Erin said.

"That will not be necessary. There are still some matters I must attend to before considering rest. Furthermore, I would like to know if the instigator of this attack has been identified."

"We're just getting him into custody now, so there's been no time to process him yet. Once we get him to the station, it won't be hard to get an ID."

"You won't have to wait that long, Lieutenant," Brainiac Five said, walking towards them. "According to Dream Girl, the man responsible identified himself as Dr. Tarik Laulsk of Titan. That name would not happen to be familiar, would it?" The question was directed at Nran.

"Tarik Laulsk is a name I am familiar with. We worked together for several months on medical technologies. If not for the accident, I'm sure we could have accomplished great things."

"Accident?" Erin asked.

"Tarik started to become erratic towards the end of our partnership, constantly shifting from theory to theory, and developed a preoccupation with AI research. He attempted to link his own mind with a prototype AI system and there was a malfunction in the relays which sent him into a frenzied state. Before we could stop him, he had cut his own throat open. I offered my help during his recovery, but he refused to speak to me and disappeared soon after. That was four years ago."

"So you two have a history. We'll need you to come down and make a statement."

"Of course. I will assist the Science Police in any way I can."

"A change from your usual mode of behavior. Unconditional offers of help were never extended towards anyone in the past." Brainiac Five said.

"Your memory is failing you. I have never been remiss towards those who have made reasonable requests of me."

"Then clearly your definition of the word 'reasonable' differs from the one used by most sapient organisms that understand the word."

"That is not the case. You simply apply your own flawed estimations of appropriate behavior other beings."

Erin pinched the bridge of her nose and let out a sigh. This was not something she wanted to get involved in.

"Excuse me Brainiac Five, but I'll need your team to vacate the area. This is now officially a Science Police cordon area and unauthorized personnel like yourself are not allowed to be here."

"Lieutenant, we are the reason a deranged scientist was unable to complete his plan."

"And I will make sure to note that in my report, but unless your people have new UP authorization I don't know about, it is still time for you to go. We don't need to complicate the day even more, do we?"

Brainiac looked ready to push the point but before he could respond, Nran stepped in.

"Perhaps if you gave my nephew and I a moment alone, I could speak to him as one Coluan to another. We have common ground, you see."

Erin got the message and nodded.

"I just need him out of the immediate area, that's all." She said, then walked away. When she was out of earshot the two faced each other.

"You're still acting irresponsibly. Is this a trait you have completely integrated into your personality or are you behaving this way in reaction to my presence here?"

"It is not an issue of irresponsibility, but of principle. We have put our live s in danger in order to ensure the safety of the United Planets, yet they still refuse to acknowledge us as anything other than some kind of youth club, the kind that quickly dissolves once it realizes the world will not change overnight."

"Which is exactly what you are. This group of yours dresses in ridiculous costumes and regularly flouts the authority of both the Science Police and the United Planets whenever it does not perfectly conform to your standards of morality, something that even those who count themselves as your teammates have disagreements on."

"There has never been a non-hive mind organization that ever achieved complete conformity in regards to morality. Once again you are attempting to use minor details as the basis for overly-generalized statements. We are willing to take a moral stance on issues that the United Planets would rather ignore while still being willing to place ourselves in harm's way in the name of preserving the stability of that government. Because of this, the Science Police chooses to view us with a combination of hostility and suspicion."

"They are aware of the pratfalls that come with attempting to maintain the social order while protecting the populace. Your comrades show no indication that they grasp the consequences of their actions."

"It is the unwillingness to act that prompted use to come together in the first place. Even though the worlds are supposed to be united, they routinely try to isolate themselves on important matters. We serve as an example of the good that can be accomplished by acting together as a whole."

"Once again you exaggerate the perceived problems that come with a confederation such as the United Planets and use them to justify your own unacceptable behavior. An intelligent being would be able to-"

"I am certified level-twelve intelligence, whereas you are a level eleven. Do not presume that you have the right to question my mental capabilities."

"Your family has always used its intellectual rating as an excuse for their personal excesses. This deficiency can be traced back to Vril Dox and the actions he took during his lifetime."

At last you bring my lineage into play. Resorting to ad hominem attacks in lieu of evidence has always been a tactic employed by those who lack the intellectual capacity to sustain a debate. It is no surprise that you would carry on that infamous tradition."

"Don't act as though I have mentioned some minor genetic quirk. The Dox line has a history of actions that make it possible to generalize about their deficiencies. Level-twelve intellect offset by mental and emotional instability is a defining trait of the Dox line. It always has been. That is why your family name has become infamous among all Coluans."

"Yet it did not stop your sister from marrying into it."

"A mistake that cost her –and myself – dearly."

The two glared at each other for long moments after that. Both looked ready to escalate their argument, but then Brainiac Five abruptly turned away.

"Clearly I miscalculated when I believed it might be possible to approach you after having saved your life. You remain as obstinate and unapproachable as ever."

Brainiac did not wait for his uncle to respond and took to the air. There was work waiting for him back at the tower and he had wasted enough time on personal matters. The sooner he cut all familial ties, the sooner he could increase his overall efficiency.

* * *

"So, is it really him?" Invisible Kid asked, his brown windbreaker flapping as he ran.

"Him?" Lightning Lad asked.

"He's referring to our new arrival." Saturn Girl explained.

"Uh, I know I'm probably going to sound like the idiot of the month, but what 'new arrival'?"

"Dreamy and Supergirl brought home someone claiming to be the Batman." Saturn Girl answered.

"Whoa. I step out for a couple days and suddenly we get another blast from the past."

"Isn't it awesome? First we get Supergirl, now we've gotten Batman! With those two around, we'll be stronger than ever!"

"Power down, Lyle." Saturn Girl said. "Just because Supergirl thinks it's him, doesn't mean it's him. We can't be sure until I've had a chance to scan him. And even if he is the real deal, he's still just one guy. It's not like he's going to perform miracles or anything."

"Imra's right. Let's wait until he checks out before we start celebrating. But if he is the real deal…that would be pretty sweet." Lightning Lad said.

"It would also be problematic." Cosmic Boy said.

"Hey Cos. Have fun with the UP assembly?" Lightning Lad asked.

"It was like fighting the Tennorian man-eating trees again. Only this time I couldn't set them on fire."

"Ouch. They're still not thrilled that we leveled that embassy on Lallor?" Saturn Girl asked.

"Somehow, explaining that it had turned into a quasi-sentient, homicidal death factory isn't quite pacifying them as much as we hoped it would." Cosmic Boy confirmed.

"Ehh, don't worry about it, Rokk. As long as R.J. keeps footing t he repair bill, they aren't going to complain too loudly." Lightning Lad said. "We've gotten enough credibility for that."

"Maybe we could ask Batman how the Justice League dealt with stuff like this back in his time. Supergirl said that he was the one that government operatives talked to." Invisible Kid suggested.

"Decent idea, but there are two problems with it. The first is that the people Supergirl was referring to were not the public officials that we have to deal with. It's an entirely different matter and one that someone from his time period would not be equipped to deal with. Secondly, if that is the real Batman and not some plant designed to make us drop our guard so we can get blindsided again, we have to get him back to the past as soon as possible. I know Brainy gave you the same 'Don't Touch the Time Machine Or Else' speech he's given to the rest of us. We cannot afford to have any liabilities, especially not now."

"Supergirl's enjoying herself here. Why can't Batman?" Invisible Kid wondered.

"She gets off on a technicality. The history books don't make any mention of her after the point in time Brainy plucked her out of or believe me, she would not be here. I guarantee that." Cosmic Boy answered.

"Yeah, you're right." Invisible Kid admitted and began walking away. "I still think it's him. Supergirl said it is and she wouldn't be wrong about something like that. Having him around would be so cool." Lyle whispered to himself.

If the other three heard him, they did not react to his words. Once they were alone, Lightning Lad spoke to the friend.

"You were getting kinda worked up about that. I mean, it would be cool to have _the_ Batman working with us. Even if it was only for a little while. Brainy can always drop him back to whenever he was when he got shunted to our time."

"Lyle's still too enthusiastic for his own good. Once he learns to calm down and case back on the hero worship he'll see that Batman's presence here isn't an automatic blessing. Every minute he's here is an opportunity for something to happen that might damage the timeline. There's still a great deal about time travel that we haven't even begun to understand and the possibility of doing something wrong is immense. Even the smallest bit of interference could have disastrous, far-reaching consequences that we would never be able to predict. I will not allow that kind of recklessness."

"Hmm, Brainiac Five as performed by Cosmic Boy. Forget magno-ball, you should have hit the acting biz." Lightning Lad said with a grin.

"Garth," Saturn Girl scolded. "Cos is right. Messing around with history is dangerous."

"Says two of the people who went back to meet Superman in his Smallville days." Lighting Lad replied.

"We didn't have a choice in the matter. It there had been another option, I would have taken it."

"Though it was neat to actually meet Superman." Saturn Girl said. Cosmic Boy gave her a look. "Don't get holier-than-thou. I know which one of us was rehearsing his 'you're an inspiration to us all' speech before he met him."

"Yes, well…this is a different case. And we had to remove Superman's memories of the incident, anyway. Protecting the stability of the timeline comes first."

"So he's not going to be around long enough for you to deliver the 'you're an inspiration to us all' speech?" Lightning Lad asked. "I mean, if Supergirl had to sit through it…"

"I'm afraid Batman will be here long enough for several of Cosmic Boy's speeches." Brainiac Five said.

"Oh, wonderful. What's the bad news this time?" Cosmic Boy asked.

"The time machine has been tampered with and I am unsure as to what is required to repair it."

"Come on Brainy, it can't be that hard. You spend as much time with it as you do with Supergirl." Lightning Lad said.

"That is not equivalent to completely understanding it. The time machine is a piece of technology that came into my hands under mysterious circumstances and is composed of technology I don't recognize. Furthermore, the mathematics involved is considered theoretical by current standards. The molecular displacement process it uses provided me the opportunity to replace the current conception of sub-atomic convergence."

"Okay, so Batman gets to have some fun with us until you fix it. Not too big a deal, despite Cos's impending aneurysm." Lighting Lad said.

"There's more. According to Batman, he did not come to this time period via time travel. He claims his last memories are of being an old man and waiting for death. How he came here and in young body is a mystery to him."

"So…he didn't travel through time?" Lightning Lad asked.

"I cannot say for certain. There are currently too many variables to be considered before it would be possible to form a hypothesis."

"Where is Batman now?" Saturn Girl asked.

"He has returned to the guest room provided for him. It's likely he will not emerge from it soon."

Cosmic Boy sighed.

"A rejuvenated Batman who claims not to know how he got here conveniently appears at the same time the time machine stops working which is also the same time there's a strange attack on a high-profile UP target. I'd have to be an idiot to think this was a coincidence."

"Remind me to ask Jo what he thinks of this…" Lightning Lad whispered to Saturn Girl, who elbowed him in response.

"This is no laughing matter. I believe the incident from earlier today was specifically designed to remove me from my lab so that the saboteur would be able to perform without interference." Brainiac Five said.

"One of those 'behind the scenes' types. I hate those." Lightning Lad said.

"While I don't doubt that your preferences lean towards the simple, that does nothing to change the fact that we are under attack by an enemy of unknown identity and capabilities." Brainiac Five said.

"Alright. First thing we need to do is have Imra scan our new friend. I don't want any surprises. Brainy, who else knows about our problems?" Cosmic Boy asked.

"Supergirl and Dream Girl, both of whom are keeping him occupied. If he is a threat, he won't be able to try anything before we discover his intentions."

"Let's get this over with as quickly as possible." Cosmic Boy said.

Garth and Imra shared a glance before the four teenagers started walking. They were soon at Batman's door and entered to find Supergirl explaining life in the 31st century. She stopped when she them.

"Hey guys. Batman, I want you to meet Cosmic Boy, Lightning Lad and Saturn Girl. They're the ones who put this team together." Supergirl said. Cosmic Boy stepped forward.

"Hello, Batman. It's an honor to have the chance to meet someone like you, who was a part of the Heroic Age. Without the contributions made by those like you, we would not be here today. Please understand that what I am about to ask is not-"

"Just get the minds can over with." Batman said. Everyone else (save the Naltorian and Kryptonian) was taken aback by his bluntness.

"Um, we're-" Lightning Lad was cutoff as well.

"I'm an unknown person claiming to be a historical figure that just happened to show up on your doorstep at the same time someone infiltrated your HQ and sabotaged a vital piece of equipment. You should have done this earlier."

An awkward silence followed Batman's words until Brainiac Five spoke up.

"Standing around solves no problems. Let's finish and move on."

"I'm just going to scan the surface of your mind." Saturn Girl explained as she stepped forward. "I'll try not to look at anything personal." A minute passed as she performed her work, then she addressed the others. "He's telling us the truth. If there is any hidden programming, I'd have to tear his mind apart to find it."

"And that is something we are not going to do," Supergirl said.

"Okay, so why don't we introduce you to the rest of the team? Invisible Kid's been climbing the walls at the chance to meet you." Lightning Lad said.

"I would prefer to be alone." Batman replied.

"Take all the time you need. I can't imagine how disorienting things must be right now. We'll make sure that no one bothers you until you're ready." Cosmic Boy said.

Rather than reply, Batman simply turned his back on them. Recognizing that there would be nothing else, the teenagers left the room. Once he felt safely out of earshot, Lightning Lad asked Supergirl a question.

"Is he always such a friendly guy, or did we catch him on an extra-special day?"

"Should have given you a heads-up. Batman's not the easiest guy to be around and he's been extra cranky since he arrived."

"Not surprising, considering what just happened to him." Saturn Girl said.

"No, I'm pretty sure it's because of the minds can thing. Sudden rejuvenation and maybe time travel are one thing. Having to allow anyone to know anything about him is another thing entirely. Everyone knows that Batman doesn't like people to get into his head. Even J'onn is careful about stuff like that."

"Someone like that would make a perfect spy." Cosmic Boy said.

"You're just not letting this go, are you?" Lightning Lad replied.

"Nura, you've been unusually quiet about this." Saturn Girl said. "You're the one that found him. What do you think?"

"He found me." Dream Girl corrected. "He's going to be with us for some time, so the sooner we get used to him, the better things will be. Then he'll start to trust us."

"Dream Girl is correct. The only way to find out one way or another is to give him time and space to show his intentions. Right now we are merely engaging in baseless speculation." Brainiac Five said.

"Fine. As of now, we are adopting a wait and see policy." Cosmic Boy said.

That ended the conference and all save the founding trio went their separate ways. Saturn Girl then addressed the team leader.

"What is going on with you, Rokk? If this is continued fallout over what happened with Ferro-"

"This is not about that."

"Then what is it about?" Lightning Lad asked. "You're acting even more high-strung than usual."

Rokk bit his lip before answering.

"Mr. Brande is in trouble. Or his company is. The bills we've been racking up are starting to hurt him. And I'm not just talking about repairs – flight rings, food, housing, transportation, all of it is adding up."

"How serious is this?" Imra asked.

"I don't know. I only found out by accident and Mr. Brande is trying to brush it off, but I think he's starting to get worried. McCauley is starting to bear down on him too, taking the opportunity to go after his company."

"McCauley. Grife, that's just what we need, for him to leave us without a single credit." Garth said.

Saturn Girl was about to speak, when suddenly she looked around.

"Something wrong?" Garth asked.

"Nothing. I just thought I sensed…" She shook her head. "It's nothing. Rokk, is there something we can do to help R.J.?"

Cosmic Boy, however, was now no longer in the mood for conversation. Even with his two closest friends.

"I don't think we need to discuss things here any longer."

"Cos, I just got distracted a bit. Don't try and use that to get out of this."

"There's really nothing else to talk about concerning Mr. Brande. Everything else is status quo. Now, I've got to get ready for another meeting with the Lallorian ambassador as I personally apologize for the destruction of their embassy."

As she watched her friend storm down the hallway, Imra took Garth's hand in her own.

"He was lying about the Ferro thing, wasn't he?" Garth asked.

"Yeah. Everything about that fight and what happened after is getting to him. He's letting it fester in the back of his mind. The fact that I can sense it just shows how bad it is."

"He seemed okay until the thing with Supergirl."

"That's probably what triggered this downturn. I've never seen him this tightly wound. We may have to step in if this continues."

"Hey, this is Cos we're talking about. He's the one we never have to worry about, right?"

"I hope so."

* * *

When she was called before Captain Girin, Erin was sure that this would be it. They would finally boot her out of the Science Police. Part of her welcomed it as a release from the ongoing obligation and pressure that came with being one of the few officers not on the take. The rest resented the waste of years she had put into the job and that finding a new one was not the most enticing option. Still, she was determined to face the end with dignity, so she walked into Girin's office with her back straight and head up.

"Welcome, Lieutenant Erin. Have a seat." Girin said from behind his desk. He was a balding man, very lean. She did as suggested.

"How long have you been with the Gotham Division, Lieutenant?"

"Almost five years, sir."

"A Lieutenant after only five years. You're doing fairly well for yourself, aren't you?"

"I believe so, sir."

"And, correct me if I'm wrong, but you were born and raised in Gotham as well, were you not?"

"Yes sir, I've lived my entire life in Gotham."

"Your entire life. From birth up until this moment, you have spent your time in Gotham. That's an achievement. Every single moment of you life, every hour, every minute, every second, was in Gotham. Is this correct?"

"N-no, sir. I have left Gotham to visit family in Metropolis."

"Did you? Did you go and visit family in Metropolis. Have I understood your words correctly? Because if I have, then you have not actually spent your entire life in Gotham. Have I understood you correctly, Lieutenant?"

"Yes, sir."

"I have understood you correctly. Well, if I have then you were not being entirely truthful with me a minute ago. Why would an intelligent officer such as you not be entirely truthful with a superior? I assume that you have a very good reason for your actions."

"I did not take your question as literally as you intended it, sir."

"You did not take the question as literally as I intended. That's not a very good reason. Do you want to know why that's not a very good reason?"

"Yes sir."

"Bit of a surprise that someone as intelligent as you can't figure it out. Someone who doesn't understand my statement isn't going to understand orders, either. Are you capable of comprehending why this would be a problem for anyone in the Science Police?"

"Yes sir."

"Good. So tell me, Lieutenant Erin, when you made an emergency call for assistance to a group that is not affiliated with the Science Police or sanctioned by it in any way, was that also because you did not understand a statement delivered by a superior?"

"No sir."

"Ah, so you did understand, you simply chose to ignore regulations, which say that in the event of an emergency a Science Policeman is supposed to call for backup and then engage in communications silence. You chose to ignore that in favor of begging help from a pack of delinquent underagers. Am I correct in this statement?"

"Sir, we were in danger of being overrun and I felt that the civilians had to be protected at any cost."

"That's very nice, but you're misunderstanding my words again. Did you call for unauthorized assistance, yes or no?"

"Yes sir."

"So you admit to engaging in a violation of Science Police protocols. That's very good Lieutenant. It's very good because I now have the excuse I need to fire you and get your sorry carcass out of the S.P. At least, I would, if not for other considerations."

"Sir?"

"Those scientists and delegates are really, really enamored with you. They're singing your praises to everyone they can, which includes the mayor and by extension the Division Commander and by extension me. Because of them, you are now officially a hero, bravely facing overwhelming odds to defend innocent victims from one of the worst criminal actions this city has seen in years. Do you know what would happen to me if I tried to fire a hero like the one you're supposed to be?"

"No."

"Nothing good for me. I know you wouldn't mind seeing me gone from here. A person like me, a 'corrupt, degrading thug' as you once said. But that's not going to happen. I'm going to be here for a long, long time. I'm going to be here on the day you slip up again, so that I will be the one to personally hand you your head. Until that blessed day arrives, I am going to be sitting here and waiting. You've never been a team player, Lieutenant Erin. The things you say and do make other officers uncomfortable, since they know they can't trust you. It's not good to work with someone you can't trust. Now get out of my office."

Erin stood up and was almost at the door when Girin cleared his throat. She turned around.

"One more thing," he said and tossed her a small box. "Inside is a commendation for valor. Enjoy it while you can. Remember – you have no friends here and no one to bail you out next time."

Erin left the room without responding, clutching the bow tightly in her right hand. When she got back to her desk, she sat down, rested her head in her hands and did not move for five minutes. All she could think about was how much she hated Girin, her job, the city and most of all her life. After the five minutes passed she put the box in a drawer and resumed work on her current case. She did not speak to anyone else for the rest of the day.

* * *

It was late at night when he emerged from the room they provided. He had guessed that most of the tower's inhabitants were either asleep or pre-occupied with other matters and not interested in visiting him. Supergirl was supposed to meet with him in one of the landing bays and he was on his way there when a certain white-haired appeared before him in one of the hallways.

"Nice night for a walk," Dream Girl said. "A crescent moon out, clear sky, good for clearing your head."

"Batman just stood there.

"You'll want me to come along. And no, I haven't' told anyone about the trip you're planning."

He still did not move. She kept eye contact with him.

"Follow me," he said and she did. Supergirl was surprised to see Nura in tow when Batman reached the landing bay, but made no fuss about it. The three then piled into one of the hovercraft and set a course for a cliff area off of Gotham that overlooked the Atlantic. It was a deserted area, left to the whims of nature. Had an archeologist investigated the area, he would have found the remnants of a mansion's foundation beneath the soil.

"You'll have to break your way in through the cliff side. I don't want to disturb the ground above."

"Got it," Supergirl replied and exited the craft. She scanned the cliff with her x-ray vision, then set about making a hole. Not too much later, she had cleared away enough rock for the craft to land in what looked like it used to be a landing strip. Dream Girl exited first and was greeted by almost complete darkness. Batman was right behind her, carrying several rectangular items.

"Supergirl, set these up where I told you too," he said. Kara complied, zipping around the cave. When she finished, Batman pressed a button on his belt and turned the light fixtures on. Dream Girl was taken aback by the size of the cave, large enough to contain a small house, not including the deep crevasses. The lights seemed to exaggerate the darkness of the place, making the shadows contort and form ominous shapes around the few bright spots. She took to the air, not trusting the ground beneath her. Batman calmly walked around and inspected his former home, completely at ease.

"Welcome to the Batcave, Dreamy. This is his home base." Supergirl said.

"If this is what he considers a home, I don't want to know what he calls inhospitable."

"There used to be a mansion above us, but according to Batgirl, this is where he spent most of his time. It was supposedly a little better kept back in my time."

"You've never been here before?" Supergirl shook her head.

"Nope. Batman had a very strict 'no trespassing' policy. I'm pretty sure the only people not part of his inner circle to ever see this place were the other members of the original seven. And even then, I think a few of 'em only managed to see it once. He's not big on socializing."

"Mr. Sunshine and Happiness? I'm shocked." Dream Girl continued to look around. "Hard to believe someone like that would ever be a part of something like the Justice League."

"He's not a bad guy, just really hard to work with. But he's one of the best. My cousin trusts him completely and that's enough for me."

"If you two have a moment, there's work I need done." Batman said, the cave's echo making his voice sound extra gravelly.

"Coming," Supergirl said and the two girls flew down.

"Supergirl, I need you to scan the entire cave and record what you find into this handheld. Move _carefully_. Once you're finished, come see me. Dream Girl, you're going to help me excavate this area."

Supergirl acknowledged him with an "I'm on it", then flew away, leaving Dream Girl alone with the caped figure. He seemed different from the man she met in the undercity, somehow more comfortable and more apprehensive at the same time. He handed her a scanner and they went to work, looking for and scanning artifacts, both stopping when Batman became curious about a certain item. When Dream Girl became curious, he went on without her. That annoyed the Naltoran, especially since there was a great deal to be curious about. A fair number of items were still remarkably well preserved whether they were in display containers or not. She knew that the little wooden man had a story behind him, but Batman was not in the mood to tell it.

Supergirl was carrying out a similar task, though hers included making sure that the cave was structurally sound in every location. Batman gave instructions to perform her search methodically, forcing the girl to go at a slower pace than she liked. Despite Dream Girl's best efforts to prompt a conversation, Batman rarely spoke except when relaying orders. At first, she thought he was simply showing the bad temperament Supergirl warned her about. But as time went on it seemed more like he behaved as someone searching for something in particular. Something very important.

"This stuff's in pretty good shape, considering it's been down here for a thousand years." Nura said. He ignored her.

"Then again, it hasn't been left derelict for that long. You were still using it right up until the end and I bet you had someone to look after it once you were gone, right?"

"Yes."

"This place was probably maintained for a long time after you left it. I wouldn't be surprised if it was only abandoned after the 25th century. Take this, for instance," she said, pointing a light at a collapsed area. "Not a natural cave-in. Even with the erosion that's come after, you can still tell that this was deliberate. Given how high up we are and the equipment husks lying around, I'd say we're near the nerve center and this used to be the entrance."

"You're observant."

"I try. Didn't get on the PreCom fast track by being stupid."

Nura started leaning against the cave wall and felt it give way slightly under pressure. She placed her hands on it to feel around and immediately noticed that the sensation was wrong. What should have been stone instead felt like rusted metal, though it had been elegantly altered to blend in with the cave's background. Nura continued to run her hands along it, looking for some clue, when she felt an edge jut out. Sticking her fingers underneath, she pulled as hard as she could, causing a loud creaking to fill the air as the metal came loose. A rectangular slab fell to the ground, revealing a closed display case housing a costume similar to Batman's but smaller and cut to suit a feminine figure. Nura pressed a hand to the glass, trying to get closer to the relic. Excitedly, she started pulling at the metal panels next to the one she had pried loose, sending them to the ground as well. In all, five display cases were revealed, each containing a costume. Nura took a few steps back to take it all in and jumped when she bumped into Batman's still form.

"I think I found something," she said, just noticing how intimidating he could be. "If I remember the names right, three of those costumes belong to Batgirl, Robin and Nightwing."

"Yes,' Batman said. She had matched the names and uniforms correctly, which was more than he expected. He walked to the end of the row and stopped in front of a uniform with a large red Bat-symbol on the chest.

"Don't recognize that one from either the history discs or Supergirl's stories. Something you put together later in life, I bet." Dream Girl said. Batman only lowered his head in response and walked towards the remnants of the main computer. Nura moved closer to the displays, examining each individual alcove.

"Vacuum-sealed. They're going to be pretty well-preserved, but I wouldn't want to touch them and see just how well. Are you going to leave these here?"

"Yes."

"Too bad. Everyone would love to have a look at them. Lyle's brain would probably explode if he had the chance to see Batman's original costume."

She did not hear him approach. All she knew was that he was suddenly uncomfortably close and looming over her.

"They. Stay. Here."

Dream Girl took a step back.

"Or they could stay exactly where they are."

Batman skulked away, leaving Dream Girl to wonder what had him so prickly. Granted, being 900 years past the deaths of your family and friends could not be fun, but he acted more wounded than that. Believing it would be best to keep some distance from him for a little while, Nura continued to explore her surroundings. The cave was incredibly fascinating, if only because she was standing amidst the remnants of history. She could almost feel the memories this place held, the scenes it had been a backdrop to. Maybe that was the explanation for Batman's unpleasant mood – too many memories.

"Hey," Supergirl said, floating down with two metal boxes. "Has he given you the grand tour yet?"

"Nope. I think we're approaching the point where he actively resents my presence."

"Ah. Find something you weren't supposed to?"

"I guess. I found some old costumes and now he's off to sulk."

"Figures. It never took much to put him in a bad mood. Well, a worse mood than usual. Maybe these will cheer him up a bit."

"What are they?"

"Don't know, but he told me to look for them. Lead-lined, of course."

"Because you naturally peek inside his belongings."

"Like you wouldn't. Let's get these to him."

"He's right over-" Dream Girl looked around. "He _was_ right over there."

"Disappearing act. I hate it when he does that."

"He shouldn't be too hard to find."

"Once you get to know him, you'll learn how wrong that statement is."

The girls looked around for any sign of Batman, with Supergirl using her x-ran vision. The various artifacts littered around the cave appeared to Dream Girl as almost natural outgrowth of the cave, adding to its ominous atmosphere. She realized that it would take a tracker of Brin's level to find Batman in a place like this.

"Let's get back to the shuttle and drop the stuff there." Dream Girl suggested.

"Might as well," Supergirl shrugged and they started flying.

"I wonder what happened to this place." Supergirl said.

"Several hundred years of nothing," Dream Girl replied.

"Besides that. When I left, Batman had a team of people with him. Bar – Batgirl always acted ready to stick to him until the very end. And there was Robin and Nightwing too. But something happened to make people forget this place."

"A thousand years is a long time. Wars, plagues, who knows? I can't imagine the Dark Age was very kind to it."

"But there should be some continuity, shouldn't there? I mean, important things are carried on, right?"

"History happens and sometimes stuff just gets left behind."

"Time does tend to do that, doesn't it? Leaving things behind."

"We're not talking about the Batcave anymore, are we?"

"I guess I am starting to get a little homesick. I never really figured until now that everything I know is a thousand years in the past."

"And now that the time machine's broken, you're worried that you'll never have the chance to see your family again."

"That's pretty close to it."

"It's not surprising. You've been here a month after making a spur of the moment decision, which is about as much time as it would take for someone to start missing their home. Seeing this place emphasizes what you're afraid you've lost. Right now, it's probably the closest thing you have to a tangible link to the 21st century."

"And I thought that Imra was the resident telepath."

"Part of the PreCom training was psych techniques."

"Remind me to ask you for help with my Christmas shopping."

"Won't have to. You're going to corner me a week before the season starts."

The girls landed on the old runway and opened the door to their craft. Supergirl took a moment to examine the box again.

"Maybe if we asked him, he'd tell us?"

"Don't look at me. You're the one who's known him longer than 48 hours."

"He gets this look when you ask him anything. It's like you want him to donate an organ or something."

"Removing an organ would be less painful."

Supergirl started and the two girls turned around to see Batman standing there.

"That's the second time today!" Supergirl said.

"We're finished here." Batman said.

"Pick up a souvenir?" Dream Girl asked, referring to a case he was carrying.

"Something like that," he answered, walking past them. They followed him in and Supergirl set herself down at the pilot's seat and started the engine. Dream Girl leaned over to Batman as he gathered the retrieved items.

"He may act like a doddering old man, but that's his way of getting you to underestimate him." She said. Batman contemplated her statement.

"I'm not surprised, considering what he's accomplished."

"I could introduce you to him. It'd be less trouble."

"In the short term. That's not what I need."

"Mmm, true. So, I won't see you until you get back?"

"You tell me."

Dream Girl smirked.

"You're catching on. Anyway, it'll give me time to get ready for out night on the town."

Dream Girl then walked over to Supergirl and started some meaningless chit-chat. Batman finished securing what he came for and started wondering what he should do about the precog.

* * *

Formed in the middle 30th century, the Super-Hero Historical Society dedicates itself to recovering, recording and preserving every last scrap of information pertaining to the Heroic Age of the late 20th and early 21st century. Through their efforts, artifacts such as Captain Cold's Cold Gun, STRIPE's armor and locations such as the Flash museum have been carefully recovered and preserved so that they could be appreciated as the pieces of history that they are. The influence of the SHHS is quiet widespread, to the point that nothing even remotely related to the Heroic Age escapes their notice. Thus, when word went out that equipment belonging to the legendary Grey Ghost was to be put up to auction, everyone affiliated with the SHHS received notice. That is how R.J. Brande came to find himself standing in an auction house, chatting away with other individuals whose bank accounts contained a large amount of zeroes.

"I shouldn't be surprised to see you here, R.J. Not even company troubles can keep you away from the latest find. It's not enough that you've founded your own team, you need relics as well." Tomaz Dreik said, tipping his drink at Brande.

"You make it sound like I'm hoarding things away, Tomaz." Brande replied. "Even if I do grab the item, it's not as though I wouldn't let the society access it when needed."

"Hmph, we'll see. Still, better you than a beast like McCauley."

"Tomaz, are you still angry because Supergirl proved me right when I said that there were three ice-themed criminals to appear during the Heroic Age?"

"It was the most reasonable assumption to make! Thinking that Captain Freeze was responsible for all non Killer Frost snow-themed crimes of the time period was agreed upon for years."

"And then Supergirl herself confirms that Captain Cold and Mr. Freeze were two different people who may not have even met."

"It hurts to see part of your doctoral thesis tossed out with a single sentence."

Brande laughed.

"You're more upset because you lost the bet you made with me. Two hundred credits worth of luck on my part."

"I plan on getting my money back after her next interview. You have set it up, haven't you?"

"Don't worry. I've spoken to her and her team. She's more than happy to clear things up for us."

"Glad to hear it. I'll be expecting to see my two hundred credits again after she confirms that the Green Arsenal fought the Shaggy General when he first attacked Metropolis."

"I can already feel my wallet getting lighter. Looks like they're getting ready to start. Shall we?"

The two men entered the hall and took their respective seats. Brande looked around and noticed the usual assortment of faces, which unfortunately included Leland McCauley, who flashed a smug grin towards Brande. Part of the old man wondered if the only reason McCauley had started attending these events was so that he could insult him in as petty a way as possible. The rest of him did not have to wonder. The auctioneer then began to speak.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, I present the item to bid: the recently-unearthed uniform of the mysterious vigilante known as the Grey Ghost. Believed to be a precursor to figures such as the legendary Bat-Man or the Crimson Avenger, little evidence of the man himself remains. Bidding starts at one million credits."

"Two million."

"Three."

"Five million." Brande offered.

"Ten million." McCauley said.

"Fifteen." Brande countered.

"Thirty million." A new voice broke in. It belonged to a younger man, probably around twenty years old, by Brande's guess.

"I hear thirty million. Are there any other bids? Then thirty million going once…twice…sold to the young man in the third row."

A few more items went up for bid after that, but Brande paid no attention. He quietly filed out with the rest once the auction ended and was on his way to the exit when he found himself cornered by that young man with the large bank account. He had a hand extended.

"You're the R.J. Brande guy, right?"

Brande took the proffered hand and felt it being shook vigorously.

"Indeed you are, though I'm not concerning your identity Mr…?"

"Brane Taylor."

"Ah. Well, it's a pleasure to meet you, m'boy. Not often you meet someone your age with an interest in the old heroes."

"Heh. I don't know if you could call it an interest, R.J. I'm just looking for something to spend my money on. I've recently gotten a lot of it. A whole lot. Like, a really, really large amount." Brane emphasized this by extending his arms. "So, I've got a lot of money and I need something to do with it. Maybe you can get me on this?"

"I think I can understand what you're talking about."

"But there's this thing, this really annoying thing. It's like when you get something new and then realize it's not new anymore. I really like both having and spending money. But in order to spend money, I need to make money, you get me?"

Brande nodded.

"So, I've got money and I want to spend it and I want to make it. How am I gonna do this? This has me worried – you can figure this – and then I hear about you, Mr. R.J. Brande, the big idealist guy, who decided to foot the bill for a bunch of underagers who wanted to save the day. I hear about this guy and think 'he's the one to help me with this.'"

"Now, hold on m'boy-" Brande tried to interrupt, but Taylor kept on talking.

"See, I figure that footing the bill for these super-friends might get a bit pricey and so I poke around a bit and bam – I see you in a fight with McCauley. Now I think to myself 'I ask for help, I need to make it good'. So, I ask some guy who's smarter than me to do some more lookin' at things and he tells me about this thing I can do. I go buy this mine-refinery thing and hey – it pays out. But I don't know what to do with it, so I come to you, wanting to know if you wouldn't mind getting ahold of Mr. McCauley's former Tridiludium thing."

"Hold on, are you saying that you're the one who bought McCauley's Trilidium interest out from under him just in time for it to make a profit?"

"Thought I said that. Didn't I say that?"

"M'boy, that was one of the shrewdest business deals I have ever heard of. You made billions off of that. When the news broke, I had trouble believing my ears. And now you're offering it to me?"

"Not for nuthin'. Just 'cause I think this is the thing to do doesn't mean there's no price. See, you don't just buy the thing; you have to take me too. I need someplace to put up my feet and someone to point me to the money. I need someone to watch my credits and make sure they don't disappear out from under me. So, I'm offering a team-up. You and me, you leading and me along for the ride. Sound okay?"

Brande was not sure what to think about the boy in front of him. He had come out of nowhere, cocksure of himself and acting like he should be thanked for making the very unconventional offer. Common sense told him to back away and let the boy go his own way. But the part of him that told common sense to jump off a cliff – the same part that convinced him to put his full support behind a superteam – told him that letting this boy go would be a mistake. He was smarter than he realized and Brande wanted to know what else the boy was capable of.

"Mr. Taylor, I believe you and I should continue our discussion. You've caught me interest."

"Damn right. Say, can you introduce me to those super-chicks? Dream Girl is somethin' to look at."

* * *

Places like this were common in Gotham, always had been and always would be. The fact that you were unlikely to find many of its type outside the city annex only helped to ensure a regular clientele. It was a dingy little bar, complete with bad lighting, bad food and the distinct smell of alcohol permeating the air. Business was good and steady that night, with plenty of people looking to waste a few hours of their lives. One such individual was Ten Drenner, who had plenty of credits he was willing to part with. A not-yet middle aged man of average build and red hair, Ten had spent a lot of time in this bar during his adult life and thus knew a lot of the faces that frequented it. Two of the faces there tonight belonged to people he had not seen before. Normally, this would mean that he simply ignored them, but there was a slight problem with that – they were playing him and several others in a game of kirajed. And winning.

"I think you boys are having a bit of an off night," the one actually playing the game said. He did not look that old, maybe about Ten's age when he started getting into things. The boy had a pale face, complete with scar cutting above his left eye, under a raggedy mop of brown hair and a constant smirk. Hanging on his arm was a girl probably no older than him, with short black hair and a star tattoo under her lip. They were both dressed pretty ratty, even by Gotham standards, but acted completely nonchalant about their appearance.

"Told you I was your lucky charm," the girl said, sounding like the empty-headed arm candy she looked like.

"There was grumbling from all those who were gathered around the table. These were men who did not like to have their money taken from them by someone who looked barely old enough to shave. Ten figured that if the kid's winning streak did not end soon, things might get violent.

"Are you playing or talking?" One of the men asked.

"Oh, I'm definitely playing. I've always liked games, especially when I'm winning. You boys ever feel the same?" The kid responded.

"Just shut up and play." The man shot back.

"The boy shrugged and focused on his hand, while the girl stayed close to him. During the game, she would whisper something in his ear just before he would play his hand. None of the other men at the table could hear exactly what she said and they were forming their own opinions about just what she was telling him.

"Boys and girls shouldn't be out this late at night. You better get home so you can go to school." Then man on Ten's right – Dennan – said. Dennan had worked Gotham for years and Ten knew how poorly he reacted to a loss of credits.

"It seems to me that I'm learning quite a bit from you fine fellows and it's paying more than school ever will." The boy answered and then laid out his hand for all to see. "Would you look at that – another primer. I've won yet another round. I do love this game."

Just as he started loading the totals, Dennan stood up. Everyone at the table took notice.

"I think you're done for the night."

"Really?" The boy checked his watch. "But it's barely midnight and I'm doing so well! I am on a roll, baby?"

"Goin' faster and faster, honey," the girl replied.

Dennan walked over to the two, prompting the girl to move behind her companion.

"You're going to get out of here, leave the credits, and not come back. But before that, I'm going to break your arm. Got that?"

"Sorry, but that won't work for me. I've been cheating so well at this game that stopping now seems silly."

That caused everyone else at the table to stand up. The den went dead quiet.

"I should have known an underager like you wouldn't show up unless he was crooked." Dennan said.

"I was just following your fine example. When I saw you were using your wristjack to change your hand, I figured it was common practice around here. Don't tell me I was mistaken?"

Dennan looked ready to pull a weapon, but Ten grabbed his arm first and checked to see if the boy was lying. He was not.

"Dennan, we told you not to pull stuff like that anymore," Ten warned. "You keep screwin' the rest of us around."

Dennan's eyes darted around before he took a swing at Ten. This was a mistake, since he missed and Ten knocked him to the ground in response.

"Dammit, Dennan, you're lucky you're my cousin." Ten said and turned to the underagers. "And you cocky little bastards, what makes you think we're just going to let you walk out of here?"

"How about the fact that the only reason he didn't get away with a large amount of your credits is because I came in here and gave you the heads-up? Or do you normally harm people who try and do you favors? Because I'm sure that everyone would want to know how your people respond to a little bit of help." The boy responded, still sitting in his chair.

The entire bar waited to see what would happen next. Then Ten smiled.

"Kid, you got both guts and smarts. You want a drink?"

"Wouldn't mind one. Shall we accept this generous offer, my dear?" He asked his girl.

"We'd be rude if we didn't."

With the game now officially cancelled and Dennan being dragged to the back room, Ten ordered some drinks and the three took seats in front of the bar.

"You never did give us a name."

"Malone, but everyone calls me 'Matches'."

"Bit of an odd nickname."

"I'm a bit of an odd guy. Not everyone considers life-threatening kirajed games a good time. This vision of beauty is my girl Teri Schappin. Say hello, Teri."

"Hello, Teri." The girl replied.

"It's wonderful to have a girl that does everything you say."

Ten chuckled.

"You're a smooth one, no doubt about that. Have you been in Gotham long?"

"Not really. My girl and I just got here and we're taking a look around."

"Naturally, the first thing he wants to do is find a nasty place and try to get himself killed. If he was ugly, I could have dumped him months ago." Teri said.

"Well, you got spunk, style and I now owe you some credits, so why don't you let Ten Drenner give you the heads up about this city."

"Ooooh, he refers to himself in the third person, honey. He must be important." Teri said.

"I'm one of the Royals. There's nobody in Gotham more important than we are." Ten said.

"The Royals?" Malone asked.

"The owners of this city. King, Queen, Ace, Jack and I. Our family has always been the power in this city. We're the ones who control supply and demand around here, despite what those Rimbor losers will try to tell you." Ten explained.

"You're awfully loose about this stuff. For all you know, I could be SP in disguise." Malone said. Ten laughed in his face.

"That's a good one. You're not SP. I can tell by looking at you. And even if you were, it doesn't mean that you could do a damn thing. Take a look at who the Division Commander has dinner with, sometime. So, shall I keep talking, or do you want to run home now?"

"Hey, I'm listening…"

* * *

"Listening is a good habit," Ayla Ranzz (Light Lass) said.

"Not this again…" Gim Allon, (Colossal Boy) groaned.

"Because people who listen know that Shadow Lass definitely does not think that going to a lecture on the history of police organizations is a good time."

"I know that now."

"Yes, a galaxy with trillions of sentient beings would likely produce a girl who would consider that a good time, but our resident Talokian is not that girl."

"Please stop this."

"And you know what else a good listener would know? They would know to check with me, the girl who said 'sure, I'll help you land a date with Shadow Lass' – before trying something like that."

"I get it, Ayla. Really, I get it. I screwed up and now she thinks I'm more of a stiff than she did in the first place."

"Oh, Gim, we both know that's impossible." Ayla laughed.

They were sitting in one of the rec rooms currently housing several members of the team. Colossal Boy had hoped that word of his recent failure had not reached the Winathian's ears.

_So much for hope_, Gim thought.

"I mean, it's not like you haven't kept that stick up your butt even though you've been with a part of the team and out of the SP for almost a year. Or should I refer to it as a baton?"

"How much longer are you going to sit there and make me feel like an idiot?"

"Until it stops being funny."

"Until what stops being funny?" Triplicate Girl (Luornu Durgo) asked.

"Oh no…" Gim moaned.

"Making fun of Gim's latest romantic screw-up." Ayla said.

"You mean the thing with Tasmia? That was pretty bone-headed."

"Grife. And how do you know about it?"

"She mentioned it when we were sparring. She wanted to know if all Earth-born human males considered lectures romantic locales."

"And what did you tell her?"

"Well, not being Earth-born or human, I could only make a guess, but I told her that I didn't think so. I figure I just saved the entire non-Gim population of Earth from being crossed off her dating prospects list."

"What should we do about the Gim population?" Ayla asked.

"Oh, they're doomed. Best for them to accept it now." Triplicate Girl answered, a wide grin on her face.

"This is the reason I don't get out much. It prevents stuff like _this_ from happening." Gim said.

"Hate to correct you, but I'm pretty sure the reason you don't get out much is exactly why stuff like this happens." Ayla said.

"I have to side with Ayla on this one. Sorry, Gim." Luornu said, placing a hand on his shoulder in a mock-consoling manner.

"Luornu, do you remember when I saved you from that Khund mercenary and you said that you owed me one?" Gim asked.

"Yeah."

"If you stop dissecting my relationship disasters now, I'll call us even."

"Okay, but I don't think Ayla owes you any favors." Luornu replied. Gim looked at Ayla, who had a very evil smirk on her face. After several seconds of watching his veins start to throb, she started laughing.

"Alright, Gim, if you're that upset, we'll change the subject. Why don't we tell lies about our new arrival, instead?"

"You mean Batman?" Gim asked.

"The legend himself. Supposedly. Hard to tell for sure when we haven't actually seen him in person." Ayla said.

"It is pretty weird not to see him for an entire month. Not that we ever saw him in the first place. All we get is Cos telling us that Batman is here and that he doesn't want to be disturbed." Luornu said.

"Maybe he's shy? Or a vampire! That's it – he's really a vampire and he's trying to figure out how to get around during the daytime. We better start checking our necks. Actually, I think he already got to Lyle. Yesterday I was talking to him and he didn't have a reflection!" Ayla said, still smiling.

"Yeah, it is pretty odd for Invisible Kid not to have a reflection. We better get the stakes and garlic." Luornu added.

"Careful, you don't want him to hear you! Vampires have acute senses and all the stuff Brin does. Oh my god, Brin's one of them too!" Ayla said.

"No, Brin's a werewolf. Supergirl said so. We were talking about monsters this one night and she told me all about them. And according to her, werewolves hate vampires."

"So Brin and Batman are going to get into a fight? That should be fun to watch. Especially if Brin is wearing tight pants." Ayla said.

"Um, Ayla…" Gim said.

"Don't be so uptight, Gim. I'd watch you in a fight with Batman if you were wearing tight pants too."

"Ayla, wait a second…"

"You could probably take him. I mean, Batman can't actually turn into a bat or anything like that, can he? It probably wouldn't be that tough for you."

"Ayla!" Both Gim and Luornu hissed at her.

"What? Oh."

Ayla finally realized that the subject of their conversation had entered the room, causing it to go dead quiet. She instantly started blushing and started wishing she could swap powers with Shrinking Violet. Batman gave her no notice and instead walked over to where Cosmic Boy was eating his lunch. The team leader stood up as Batman approached.

"I've made myself unavailable for the past month. Getting used to the 31st century took more time than I expected. I can't promise this team my undivided attention, but I am willing to help." Batman said.

Cosmic Boy remembered to swallow his food and his eyes briefly darted around the room. Everyone was watching them, especially Dream Girl and Supergirl. Both of them had expectant expressions on their faces. He offered his hand.

"We're more than happy to have you. Like I said when you first arrived, you're one of the reasons this team is here."

The Dark Knight took Cosmic Boy's hand and they gave a strong shake.

"Batman, welcome to the Legion of Super-Heroes."

* * *

Nran Lon is a character of my own creation, in case anyone was wondering. I'm going to try and introduce more of the Legion, but there are a lot of them to get to while keeping the focus on Batman. Please be patient.


End file.
